Icy Shadows
by HMemma546
Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch
1. Chapter 1

Icy Shadows

Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch

_**Hey guys. Okay I've become a huge fan of the movie even through I have only seen it once! It was just so amazing! I didn't realise I had become such a huge fan until I got home and found myself looking up fanfiction and squealing over how awesome Jack is ^^; Anyway...for some reason I ship Pitch/Jack - don't know why they just seem perfect together and so I started writing a fanfic.**_

_**As I have seen the movie once it may seem slightly AU as I probably don't know the characters too well. Pitch will probably be the most AU but that's because I turn him into a teen. Why? I don't know...I just thought Jack and teen Pitch sounded cute and here I am.**_

_**Title was all I can think of, sorry. If anyone wants to give it a better title then all means go ahead. Also I'm sorry if I ramble a little in the first chapter. Alot of my story's chapters seem short and I was trying to make it longer but I'm slightly worried if I rambled a little or not. Also about the first part, I've read too many hurt/comfort fics with Jack being unsure about the other guardians and the other guardians wanting him to open up which is why I put it there. Also I wanted to have to realise in order for Jack to trust them and accept them as his family they gonna have to trust him and by that trust Teen Pitch.**_

_**Again about the first part I wasn't too sure when to set it but I decided to set it after the easter incident just as in Burgess its getting warmer. This is because I want to give eason why Jack will be staying with Pitch in the North Pole instead of going off to Burgess to visit Jamie half the time. I didn't want to leave the poor kid out wihout having a reason too.**_

_**Also I'm not too sure how you play ice bowling (only seen it mention in other fics) so if I got anything wrong sorry. **_

_**Anyway I won't keep you waiting. Enjoy the first chapter and please leave a review.**_

Chapter 1

It had been a couple of months since Easter. A couple of months since Pitch had returned and tried to plunge the world into the next Dark Age. And a couple of months since Jack had become a guardian.

"Jack! This is eighth time you've turned the elves into ice bowling ball pins!"

Jack laughed as he struck the poor frozen elves with a ball, knocking them down. He straightened up and looked over at North with a shrug, catching the ice ball as it bounced back to him.

"Hey, last time you played, for several rounds I might add." Jack said.

A few of the yetis who had guilty straighten up when North had caught then playing, nodded before the other yetis that also had been playing nudged them in the side.

North laughed, "You have good point."

Jack grinned and took that as a prompt to go again. This time he managed to strike all five elves.

North rolled his eyes as the yetis cheered and Jack flew up into the air. Still even if the poor elves were getting a bit fed up with Jack freezing them all the time, North couldn't help but just shake his head and laugh at Jack's antics.

After learning that Jack didn't actually have a home (sleeping by a lake did not count as a home, the guardians had replied when Jack tried to argue) North had offered for Jack to come and live with him. He and the three other guardians had been surprised when Jack had refused. But Jack did have a good reason. After three hundred years alone, Jack still didn't know if he could trust the guardians just yet, even if he was starting to see them as a family.

The four guardians, feeling guilty when Jack said that, eventually gave in but North said his offer still stands and Jack would always be welcomed there.

Jack had only nodded and then flew off on his way. The other guardians didn't see him for several weeks before Jack had arrive at the North Pole doors. The boy had looked surprised when the doors were opened to him. North had suspected he had thought the yetis would chuck him out as they have done for the last three hundred years.

Slowly Jack had started visiting more and more. He visited the other guardian's home too, allowing fairies to fawn over him, helping Sandy make sand dreams up in his sand castle, even help paint eggs in Bunnymund's tunnels. However both Tooth and Bunny's homes were too warm for the winter spirit and Sandy's castle always made him sleepy so it was usually North he chose to visit. However even through Jack was visiting more and more, he still chose to leave before nightfall and he still seemed slightly wary of the other guardians.

Still North supposed even if Jack stayed he would always be off somewhere. Jack was a free spirit, always following the wind to places to make it snow.

"Want to have a go?" Jack asked.

"Actually I came in to remind you of the meeting we have tonight." North said, raising his eyebrow.

Jack flushed, frost covering his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. The last meeting the guardians had Jack had forgotten to show up. To be fair it was only a few days after the Easter incident and Jack was still very new to the whole guardian thing. Even though both North and Tooth had told him about it and what time it was being held. Twice.

"Don't worry I'll be there this time." Jack said with a slightly nervous chuckle.

"Good," North said with a grin.

"Was that all?" Jack asked.

"Well I also wanted to know what plans you had for today." North said, "I thought we could spend some time together, catch up on things." As Christmas was still quite a while yet North thought it wouldn't be too bad to spend time off making toys and try to get to know the boy and get him to open up.

Instead of looking thrill as North wanted however, Jack looked uneasy. It was expected yet it still made North deflate a little inside.

"Actually I was going to go to see Jamie before the weather gets too warm for me." Jack said, glancing up at the clock on the mantelpiece, "Speaking of which I best be off."

"Alright," North reluctantly agreed, "But remember to be back-"

"For the meeting, yeah I know." Jack cried over his shoulder as he zoomed off.

North sighed. He turned to the yetis who had gone back to elf bowling.

"Alright back to work." He ordered, ignoring their whines. He looked over at the still frozen elves and sighed. Looked like he was going to thaw them out. Again.

* * *

Jack flew off into the sky. His smile faded for a moment and he sighed.

He knew North was only being kind to him. But it had only been a month since Jack had been a guardian an quite frankly he didn't know if he could really trust the guardians. Yeah, he enjoyed being around with them and the whole Easter incident had brought them close together, so close that the first few days when Jack had tried to distance himself away from them that it actually made him feel even more lonely and sad then he had been the three hundred years before. But after he went back to them and started hanging around with each guardian more and more he still was half expecting them to turn around and say 'Right, you've done being useful now. Clear off!'

He hadn't done much when he had been on his own after refusing North's offer to stay at the North Pole with him. He mostly just wandered about, lingering in places that were still wintery. He hadn't gone back to his lake for a change. He had wanted too, even staring over at the forest as he played with Jamie whenever he visited, which he did often. But the memory of falling into the lake when saving his sister stopped him. Even though he was glad he saved his sister and was happy that was the reason the man in the moon had created him, the sight of seeing yourself fall into ice wasn't something you shook off easily.

Also the lake reminded himself of something else, something he didn't want anyone else to know about.

It was when they had won the battle. They had cornered Pitch at the lake when his fearlings had surrounded them. Pitch had chuckled evilly, only for his smile to fade when the guardians reveal that it was only him that was afraid. And the fearlings had lunged at him.

Jack felt sorry for Pitch.

He knew the other guardians would hate him for it. But he couldn't help it. Pitch might have tried to take over and had killed Sandy but...he didn't deserve that. Jack had thought that Tooth knocking out his tooth had been enough. Pitch's powers had been pretty much stripped from him by then and he had been shown up by Jack plus Jamie and the other kids. Jack was sure he had gotten what he deserved.

But even through Jack had kept his face blank, he still felt sick when the fearlings had attacked their own master. The fact that he nor did any of the guardians do anything made him feel worse.

After all Pitch's real crime was that he was tired of being not believed in and being alone. Jack understood how that felt. Even if Pitch had lied about longing for a family just as Jack did, when they were in Antarctica Jack could still sense the tall man was being at least half truthful. If Jack was honest with himself if he had been alone for as long as Pitch had, if he wasn't meant to be a guardian, if North, Sandy, Tooth and Bunny had kept on ignoring him...Jack doubted he wouldn't have done the same.

The wind suddenly whistled, tossing him into the air and out of his thoughts as it reminded him that he was off to visit Jamie.

"Alright, alright," Jack chuckled and he started to fly again.

* * *

Playing with Jamie was fun as always. When Jamie when back to school he started spreading the story of Jack Frost and the other guardians, getting more and more a kids to believe in him it seemed, as when Jack visited their seemed to be more kids then they were to start with. It was a slow process and Jack had heard some kids made fun at Jamie and some of the others but Jamie told him time and time again soon the world would know of the name of Jack Frost.

Jack was entirely grateful. To be honest he was happy with the small amounts of kids that could actually see him and not walk through him that he didn't care that so many other kids didn't believe in him. But thinking that even more kids may believe in him and it was all down to Jamie warm his heart.

Right now they were having a huge snowball fight. The town of Burgess was used to it snowing even when the weather was warm, for some reason this had happen over the three hundred years through the adults couldn't fathom wide.

The kids and Jack had paired up into two teams. Jack was with Jamie, Pippa, Cupcake and a boy who Jamie introduced went by the name of Thomas. Sophie hung around the group as well but she was a little young to know what team she was in, throwing snowballs at the opposing team one minute and then throwing at Jack and Jamie's team the next before getting distracted by a snowflake or hopping up and down exclaiming "Bunny, hop, hop!"

Jack and Jamie duck behind a snow fortress as a rage of snow balls flung their way. Pippa and Cupcake were only a few seconds behind and poor Thomas got hit.

"You alright there, Jamie?" Jack asked letting out a laugh.

Jamie grinned and nodded, a little breathless. Unlike Jack who energy seemed to go forever Jamie was getting a little tired.

"You're not thinking about surrendering are you?" Jack asked.

"What? No way!" Jamie cried, Pippa and Cupcake agreeing. As Thomas was hit three times he was out and had gone to the side along with a few other kids. It wasn't too bad as Jamie's Mum had been kind enough to make them all hot chocolate with little marshmallows on top.

"Alright!" Jack cheered.

With that the three swooped down gathering snowballs in their arm while Jack just produced some out of thin air. Then they poke their heads over the fortress and started firing.

The other team shrieked as some members got hit and started firing back at them. However they hadn't expected the sudden attack and soon Jamie's team were jumping in the air high fiving and cheering.

"That was awesome!" Jamie cried.

"Alright, Jamie, I think that's enough for today." Jamie's mother called

"Aw but Mum..." Jamie whined only to be met by his mother's glaze: the one that said 'Now Jamie or no more snowball fights for you' that seemed to work every time. "Okay...but can I say goodbye to my friends first?"

"Just as long as you're inside before dark," She said. Gathering Sophie in her arms, who giggled and wave to Jack, and taking the empty mugs from the kids, she headed to the back down.

Jamie said goodbye to the others who all left as well, having to get home too, before he turned to Jack.

"I won't see you for ages will I?" Jamie said, the smile that was on his face fading.

"Hey," Jack bent down, giving Jamie's shoulder a light push, "Those warm months will whizzed by before you even know it. Besides," He added with a wink, "In Burgess it starts to snow around late September doesn't it?"

Jamie's face brightened up. "There's the grin I know."

Suddenly Jack found himself wrapped into a tight hug. He stiffened in surprise before he smile and returned the hug. It still shocked him when Jamie could touch him instead of walking right through him. But it was a nice shock though.

"Okay, kiddo, it's getting late and I don't want to get you into trouble."

"You always get me into trouble." Jamie said, raising his eyebrow.

"True but usually that because we doing awesome fun tricks that your mum finds dangerous for some strange reason."

"Right, because sleighing in the middle of a busy road is not dangerous." Jamie said sarcastically.

They both laughed. Jamie hugged Jack one more time before he ran to his backdoor. Stopping on the step he turned and waved at Jack before stepping inside.

Jack waved back before smiling and floating into the air. Today had been a good day.

Suddenly he remembered the meeting he had tonight. Quickly flying higher into the sky, he looked over to where the town clock stood, quickly squinting at the time. He still had two hours to go, he was fine. Breathing a sigh of relief, he decided perhaps it would be best if he headed to the North Pole anyway. Sometimes the wind would want to play and that sometimes made him lose track of the time. He didn't want to turn up only to find four cross guardians waiting for him, tapping their feet and crossing their arms.

He turned – only to stop when he saw the forest.

Normally Jack would shake his head after a few seconds and fly away, even through the thought of his lake still lingered in his mind. This time however he found it harder to ignore as his lake. It called out to him, begging him to come _home_. Because even through, yes, that was the lake where he drowned and, yes, that was the lake he last saw Pitch before the fearlings devoured him, that what it was, what it had been for the past three hundred years. His home.

Jack breath caught and he floated over the edge of the wood. The wind nudge him in and he hesitated before finally nodded. There was plenty of time before the meeting. He could kill some time at his lake. It was only a short visit.

He flew in. It didn't take long, he knew the way to his lake with his eyes shut, no matter where about he entered the wood. He actually could point out every detail of the way there; he had hung around the wood so many times. He made it in only a few seconds flat.

The lake, obviously thanks to the warmer weather and the fact its owner had neglected it, was no longer cover in its usually ice. The flowing water, along side the grass and the flowers that grew around it made it look pretty to anyone else's point of view. To Jack however it made his face scrunch up and him to lift his staff. Soon the lake was covered in a thick layer of ice again. That was better.

Jack flew over to the middle, hovering before he allowed himself to step onto the ice. This was the exactly spot where he was risen out the ice. The exact spot where he had fell...his sister only a few feet away watching in horror.

Before, when Jack was especially upset or just fed up with sleeping in the trees or on large rocks, he would lay here, in the spot where the moon shone down to sleep. Sometime he would look at the moon, begging for the Man in the Moon to talk to him again. Other time he would purposely not look at the moon, resting his cheek on the cool ice instead. It had felt what a warm mothering hand would feel like on a child's cheek.

Smiling Jack hovered again. Maybe this had been where he died. But still it had been his home for most of his immortal life and for that he was grateful. Who knows, maybe he would start coming back here after the day had ended again.

Ready to head back Jack was about to fly away, when a noise made his heart stop cold. It was a sound he thought he never hear again.

Slowing turning around he spotted the source of the noise. Or rather the sources.

_Fearlings_, Jack realised with a gasp. He hadn't seen them since they had turned on Pitch.

Jack guessed he hadn't noticed them when he had arrived. Right now the horse figures grunted, letting puff of air flare angrily out of their nostrils as they approached something, backing whatever it was into a corner, not allowing it to escape.

Jack, afraid it was a child, leapt right in. With a swoosh of wind, he flew over and jumped between the fearlings and the figure, his staff out in front of him as he hovered just a few inches above the ground.

The fearlings' eyes gleamed a blood red, causing Jack to frown in confusion. Didn't they have golden eyes before? However he quickly threw that thought away as the nightmare horses charged at him.

He shot beams of ice at them, jumping out of their way and flying over their heads, trying to divert their attention away from whomever they were attacking. It seemed to work as all of them ran after him, kicking out their hooves at him, trying to stomp him to the ground. Jack managed to escape their stomping hooves, as he rose higher into the air.

He paused allowing the fearlings to charge at him before he darted into the woods. He zipped through the trees, switching directions randomly in order to shake the fearlings of his tail. When he had the chance he would spin around and attack at them, shooting them to the ground.

Losing them in the woods Jack asked the wind the make a u-turn taking him back to the clearing. He had been so busy fighting he hadn't properly looked at the figure and wasn't sure if they weren't hurt or not.

As he landed on the floor, he looked about. At first he couldn't see anyone there and wonder if the person had ran off when the fearlings had left. But just as Jack thought that, he heard a groan, coming from behind some rocks.

"Hey you alright?" Jack asked as he jumped onto the rock – only to freeze in shock.

A teenager was huddled between the rocks, grasping his side as he tried to steady his breathing, obviously injured somewhere. However that wasn't what made Jack freeze. It was the fact that the teenager had grey skin and golden eyes that had widen in shock before glaring at him. The only other person Jack knew with grey skin and golden eyes was...

"Pitch?"

The teenager growled in response. He tried to get up and leave but the fearlings' attack had weakened him and he staggered. Jack quickly grabbed him to stop him falling.

"Get...of...me...brat..." Pitch hissed.

Well at least Pitch still had his memory intact.

Jack chose to ignore Pitch's 'request' which was just as well as soon as Pitch had finished his sentence, he passed out. Jack nearly stumbled at the sudden weight but he managed to stay upright.

Turning Pitch in his arms, Jack gasped. Pitch was covered in cuts and bruises. Jack also noticed the massive amount of blood that was seeping through Pitch's cloak and onto Jack's hand.

The sounds of the fearlings returning snapped Jack out of his shock and he quickly spun around.

Several fearlings were approaching, their eyes red and hungry.

Jack quickly hoisted Pitch into a firemen carry, ignoring the grunt of pain and grabbed his staff with his other hand. The wind immediately whisked him into the air just as the fearlings had charged at him.

The fearlings let out an angry whicker and leapt into the air, galloping after them.

If Jack was on his own he would attack but Pitch was bleeding and needed medical attention immediately. So instead he ordered the wind to take him to the North Pole as fast as he could and shot ice blasts over his shoulder at the dark horses. He heard a couple of whinnies and grinned, knowing he had struck some down. But he knew there were still more chasing after him and so encouraged the wind to pick up the speed.

It wasn't long before they reached the North Pole. Relief washing over his face, Jack headed for the workshop.

He didn't realise that one of the fearlings was getting dangerously chose.

"_Ah_!" Jack cried as one struck him on the back, sending pain shooting through him...and his staff straight out of his hands, "No, no!"

Jack crashed into the snow, Pitch, still unconscious, crying out in pain as they tumbled to a stop. Jack cringed in pain, the fearling had packed quite a kick.

The fearlings let out a triumph neigh and slammed down to the ground, towering over the two as they drew nearer and nearer to them.

Jack sat up, trying to see where his staff was. It lay a short distance away from them. Grabbing Pitch, Jack quickly ran, staggering with Pitch's weight and the pain in his back. The fearlings quicken their pace. Jack tripped over a rock, "Damn it!" and tried crawling over to it. The fearlings had almost reached them. Jack reached for his staff.

Just as Jack was about to grasp his staff, one of the fearlings slammed his hoof down onto his hand, causing Jack to cry out in pain. The fearling picked him up by his hoodie and threw him away from the staff.

Growling, Jack spun round, his legs flying up as he kicked out. The fearling cried out, not expecting to be struck. Jack grinned and quickly rolled out the way before it could counter attack, his hand reaching out and grabbing the staff. Ignoring his injured hand, he fired at the fearling, melting it into the snow.

Picking up Pitch he flew to the workshop.

Having tried to get into the workshop for three hundred years, Jack knew nearly every room that had a window to the outside. One time when he had been injured for accidently causing a storm that had backfire at him in the North Pole (he had been angry at the time and still didn't have much control over his powers) he had found the window that enter the infirmary. Surprisingly instead of kicking him out straight away, Phil had actually took care of his injuries. This had led them to form a sort of friendship even through every other time they saw each other it was Phil chasing Jack out of the workshop.

Quickly entering through the window, Jack barged the window shut, locking it and shutting the curtains, thinking that might throw the fearlings off. He laid Pitch down on one of the beds.

Pitch looked worse when Jack first saw him, more bruises starting to litter his skin. Being toss about in the snow probably didn't help him even. Jack also noticed some scratches he didn't notice before and some of Pitch's limbs were stuck out oddly, being broken from what Jack could tell (having no one to tell you what exactly was dangerous or the fact that, yes, spirits could break their bones meant that Jack broke his bones a lot) for some time. How the guy could walk was a mystery to Jack.

It was this that made Jack cover Pitch gently with the white mattress, ignoring the fact that this was the same guy who tried to kill him in Antarctica. Before he turned away, Jack whispered, "Stay here. I'll be back with help soon."

Quickly he ran to the door, knowing he had to fetch the guardians. There were still fearlings outside and Jack was going to need help defeating them before they got to Pitch.

* * *

_**Please review and give any critism you have ^^**_


	2. Chapter 2

Icy Shadows

Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch

_**Hey guys. Thank you for all the reviews and the favs they really made my day. Cookies and hugs for you all! I thought I write up chapter 2 for you. **_

_**Again sorry if Pitch or any of the others characters are a little OC. While I've read plenty of fanfics I have only seen the movie once so I may get a few things wrong. Pitch will probably be OC but that's because not only he's a teenager but his own fearlings have turn agaisnt him and that made him a tad more resentful and sarastic then he's usually is. **_

_**Also I CAN'T WRITE ACCENTS! I've been trying to write North and Bunny's accents but I can't do it. All I can do for North is miss out words which I've seen some fanfics do and pretty much hardly do anything for Buny unless you count me making him say bloody but I tend to use that alot when I make a character kind of swear)**_

_**Sorry it's a little shorter than the last chapter. Hope you enjoy an please leave a review.**_

Chapter 2

Jack darted down the corridor, urging the wind to go faster. He needed to get to the globe room; that where the other guardians would be.

Ignoring the yetis and elves in his way he barged past them not caring when he accidently bumped into them or cause toys to crash to the ground. Any other time Jack might have felt guilty but this was an emergency. Besides it wasn't like it was near Christmas, there were still months to go. Why did it take all year to build toys?

Shaking away is thoughts Jack crashed into Phil. As Phil had caught him so many times when chasing the boy before for breaking and entering the workshop and Jack was distracted, Phil grabbed him easily before Jack could fly up. He gave Jack an angry scowl.

"Not now Phil, emergency!" Jack cried, struggling to break free.

Phil didn't let go, instead pointing to the workshop. Everything was a huge mess, broken toys scattered everywhere, elves and yetis alike groaning on the floor (or in the elves case jingling).

"I'll clean up later! Right now I need to get North and the others!"

"Jack?"

The white haired boy and the furry yeti glanced up. Standing one of the balconies was North, Bunnymund, Tooth and Sandy. And none of them look too happy.

"What have you done to workshop!" North cried.

Jack winced but nevertheless continued to struggle out of Phil's hands.

"Sorry but-"

"What the bloody hell, Frostbite! Not only are you bloody late but you made a huge mess of the workshop! I hope you have an excuse!" Bunnymund yelled.

"I do, it's-"

Suddenly the window overseeing the main workshop area smashed. Glasses shattered everywhere, raining down onto the ground, just missing the elves who got up and scampered out the way with a scream. Stomping in were the remaining fearlings, eyes looking even redder than before as they pierced straight into Jack. Phil dropped Jack in surprise.

"-Them," Jack finished his sentence, pointing to the fearlings.

The fearlings snorted and charged at Jack. Jack managed to jump over them before they attacked him, spinning around as he skidded on the ground and then blasting at them with his staff. Only a couple were knocked down as the Fearlings turned, like angry bulls. They even scruff the ground with their hooves three times like a bull would before they charged again.

A boomerang hit them, knocking a few more of their feet. Jack looked up just as the guardians hopped over the railing and to the floor below, ready to fight. They all had landed in front of him, it almost seemed like they were shielding him away from the fearlings, protecting him.

Jack grinned. It felt nice to know they were there. Even if he didn't think he needed protecting.

The dark horses' whinnies dragged him out of his thoughts and back to the fight. The fearlings had lunged at Bunny who responded by jumping over, shooting an egg bomb onto their heads. Again, Jack wondered, why wasn't he a Kangaroo? North swung his swords at the fearlings that wasn't egg bombed. Sandy used his whips to start tackling the other fearlings who had enough brains to stop short when Bunny started throwing his egg bombs and try attack the others instead.

Tooth had flew up, spinning around as she used her ever very fast flapping wings to slice into any fearlings that tried to lunge at her. Her wings despite how delicate you may think them to be cut through the fearlings swiftly, like a knife cutting into butter. Her hands darted out and she punched any fearlings that missed her wings. Tooth may be sweet and seemed very delicate but, like her wings, she was stronger than those gave her credit for.

Jack quickly joined in, sending more ice blasts at the fearlings that the other guardians were too distracted to attack. Now knowing that there were others fighting off the fearlings alongside him, the thought of tackling the fearlings wasn't as daunting as it had been when he had been on his own with an unconscious wounded Pitch for company.

Suddenly one of the fearlings must have realised they weren't going to win this fight. It whickered to the remaining fearlings, who were falling in numbers rapidly. The other fearlings responded and quickly the horses galloped out the window, retreating away.

Jack shot at one of the ones at the back and manage to shoot it down. He zipped through the window, trying to chase the others but after the few minutes returned, a frustrated looked on his face. They had gotten away.

The five guardians looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Tooth's fairies, which has hidden in the fight in the globe room, all swooped down to their mother, chirping quietly. The elves jingled as their heads popped out of their hiding places and the yetis – some had tried aiding in the fight, others had just backed away to the side and let the guardians do their job, grumbled at the mess they had to clean up.

"Well that was certainly a fun meeting." Jack said.

He ducked as a boomerang was thrown as his head. North laughed fondly and even Bunny couldn't help but smirk. They all shared a smile before Sandy piped up, images flashing over his head. Tooth got the message before the others did as she turned to Jack.

"Jack? Do you mind explaining what just happened?"

The four older guardians all looked at Jack quizzingly. They had all thought they had defeated the fearlings, why had they been chasing Jack.

"Um..." Was all Jack could get out as he scratched the back of his head. He hadn't plan on how he would tell the others about Pitch yet, he had only planned on getting the guardians to fight off the fearlings, deciding to make the plan up as he went. Now that the fearlings had been defeated he was kind of stuck.

"It's a long story." Jack said eventually.

The others guardians waited for Jack to continue. Jack gulped.

* * *

"You did what?!"

They were all in the corridor, having moved out the way so the yetis could start the clean up. North had told them that they would be there to help once Jack had explained the entire story. Now they were a little distracted by what that story contained.

Jack fiddled with his staff, sending a nervous grin at Bunny, trying not to winced at the fiery glare he was getting.

"Er...I found Pitch at the lake back in Burgess, who had somehow turned into a teenager, being attacked by those fearlings and I rescued him?" Jack said and he couldn't help but sound a little sheepish. "He's injured right now..."

"Who cares?!" Bunny yelled, throwing his arms in the air as he couldn't believe what his sensitive ears where hearing.

Tooth, her fairies and Sandy watched the two worriedly, too shocked to say anything. Phil, who decided to he wanted to hear the story as well, stay quiet, glancing back and forth from Jack to his boss. North had his arms folded as he stared at Jack as though thinking deeply. Jack did his best to ignore him, instead frowning at the angry Pooka. Subconsciously he moved closer to the door to the infirmary, blocking it from the others.

"You-You saved Pitch!" Bunny continued to shout, "Why on earth would you do that?!"

"Well, why should I think about saving someone's life?" Jack shot back at the rabbit, crossly.

"When they are the flipping bogeyman; that's why!" Bunny replied.

North decided to step in between them. It was just as well as from the looks both were giving each other, they were both only two seconds from lunging at each other's throats.

"Alright, now just calm down." North said, his arms raised to stop the two from trying to get around him to attack the other.

Jack and Bunny shot glares at each but reluctantly backed down. Bunny crossed his arms, tapping his large foot on the ground in frustration while Jack kept a solid grip on his staff, holding it in a pose he usually did when he was feeling angry, defensive and slightly threatened.

North turned to Jack and Jack's eyes left the Pooka's as his hold on his staff switch to a more nervous pose. North noticed this and this caused whatever anger he had about Pitch being here, in his workshop, to dissipate.

"You say fearlings were attacking Pitch?" North asked.

Jack nodded quickly, eyes slightly wide as he had expected North to shout at him as well. Glad North hadn't, he plucked up to courage to speak.

"I don't think he can control them anymore." Jack said, his words coming out softly.

North sighed, rubbing the side of his head as he tried to think. Jack watched nervously, wondering what the leader guardian's response would be. His grip on his staff grew tighter and tighter as the seconds passed. He didn't know how North would react. This was about the guy who tried to send the world into the second dark ages after all.

"Alright, let me see him." North said.

Bunny let out a noise of surprise and frustration. Jack, unsure what North's plan was, stayed by the door, his staff ready to move into attack mode if it was needed.

"Jack," North put his large hands on both of Jack's shoulders, kneeling down slightly so he could meet the boy's eyes, "I need to see his injures so can heal him. I will not harm him."

"You should," Bunnymund injected only to be nudged in the shoulder by Tooth. While she still seemed shock by all this and unsure about how sure felt about all this, she recognised that tone in North's point and decided to wait to hear his reasons later.

Jack shot a glare over North's shoulder at Bunny but focused back on North's glaze, looking him dead in the eye.

"You promise?" Jack asked.

North didn't glance away, didn't hesitate, as he nodded, "Promise."

Jack waited for a few seconds, as if North would change his mind during that time. When North didn't he moved out the way of the door, letting the guardian pass. Once North, and Phil, had entered the infirmary, Jack moved back in front of the door, closing it and blocking an angry Pooka from barging through wanting to give Pitch a piece of his mind.

* * *

North sighed as he heard the two start arguing again. He hoped Tooth and Sandy would be able to break it up before it got out of hand.

He approached the bed, Phil one step behind. When he got to the bed he stopped, unsure what to do. The reminder of this being the guy who brought nightmares to the children they protected still clouded his mind and he couldn't help but pause, wondering if he should be helping him.

North then remember his promise to Jack and that banished those thoughts from his mind. Even if the Russian man did not like the idea of helping the guardian's nemesis, Jack had wanted him to and that was what North intended to do.

He surveyed Pitch's injuries carefully and then ordered Phil to get the supplies that were needed. The yeti, one step ahead of North, was already brining the basket of bandages, IV bags and the medicines North needed.

North thanked him. First he got Pitch hooked up to the IV bags, injecting a little morphine in them. The first things he needed to do was get that massive wound on Pitch's stomach clean and stitched and then get Pitch's broken limbs straightened and casted so they would heal correctly. Somehow Pitch had broken his right arm and his leg left and from what North could guess, had ignored this and still tried to use them, making them worse than what they probably originally were. Also while checking for any other injuries he might have missed, North guessed Pitch had broken his ribs and all. He couldn't do too much about that so North focused on the other injuries instead. Every so often calling Phil over to help, North got to work.

* * *

The large injuries had been taken care of and North had moved on to the slightly less worrying ones when Pitch decided the morphine wasn't going to keep him knock out anymore. Not knowing where he was the now grey skinned teen shot up like a bullet. He then groaned as pain shot through him, making him regret his decision.

"Easy there, Pitch, you're alright." North said, gently placing a hand on Pitch's shoulder and pushing him back down on the bed.

Pitch blinked a couple times, taking a few minutes to gain back his awareness.

"Oh great, it's you." He growled as he spotted North.

"How are you feeling?" North asked, ignoring the sarcastic comment.

"Like a stampede of fearlings trampled over me, what do you think?" Pitch said. He tried to sit up again, slightly slower than last time but it still hurt and North was able to push him back down again.

"Careful, you've gain several injuries, broken ribs, broken arm, broken leg, several cuts that needed stitching." North listed as he nodded at Phil to give Pitch some more morphine to lessen the pain, "If Jack hadn't rescued you, doubt you would've survived."

Pitch stopped glaring, blinking in surprise.

"Jack...saved me?" He asked.

North nodded and the now teenager frowned. Not in anger this time but in confusion, "Why?"

"Don't know, should ask him," North replied, "All I know is if he didn't you would be dead. You should be thankful."

Pitch stayed silent as he laid back into the pillow, thinking. He then crossed his arms, winced when he tried to move the one in the cast, and just crossed one arm, scowling again.

"I suppose you're all having a huge laugh about how I can't control my own fearlings anymore." Pitch snarled, "And that I've now been subjected to...to this!"

He gestured at his new younger self before growling in frustration. North just watched him, waiting for him to calm down. While he still looked similar as before, he still had the same grey skin, the same gold eyes, the same jet black hair that stuck out like spikes and the same pointed teeth, his younger features and the fact he was now only slightly taller than Jack made him looked less intimating then he had before. Before the thought of an angry Pitch in his workshop would have made North panicked at what the man might do, even if it was an injured one but now North wasn't scared. He was more concerned about Pitch jostling his injures and accidentally opening the wounds he stitched up, if anything.

"Did fearlings do that to you?" North asked.

Pitch sighed, "I don't know. All I remember is shrinking and suddenly I'm this. Just glad I stopped shrinking then. I wouldn't know what I'll do if I suddenly turned into a child...or a baby." He shuddered.

North nodded, quietly thinking it over as he return to cleaning Pitch's cuts again. Pitch hissed and tried to pull away.

"Hold still," North said, "I need to clean these cuts or they'll get infected."

"You could have warned me before you did that!" Pitch cried, gold eyes shooting daggers at the man.

"Didn't think you would be such a wuss," North shot back.

Pitch glowered but allowed North to continue cleaning his cuts, biting his lip to stop from wincing again as he stubbornly tried to show North that he, the nightmare king, was _not_ a wuss.

"All done," North said eventually, putting the cloth down on the side. Pitch inwardly sighed with relief but outside just scowled and shifted away from North in case the old man tried attacking him with anything else in that medical basket.

North got to his foot. He stared at Pitch, eyebrow quirked as he waited. Eventually Pitch realised what the man was after and scolwed even more.

"...Thank you," He said curtly.

North nodded and grinned, "Your welcome. Now get some rest!"

Instead of looking please at the prospect of being left alone at long last, a flash of fear cross Pitch's face. He hid it but North noticed and it made him pause.

"Not being funny," Pitch said gruffly, "But thanks to you guardians defeating me, my dreams are plagued with nightmares. And as you know nightmares created fearlings so..."

While North still sometimes did not get sarcasm after having Jack around for a couple months, he had learnt that sometimes with teenagers their words had a double meaning. Case in this point: _I'm scared, I don't want to have nightmares_.

Nodding, North asked Phil to fetch Sandy. A few minutes later the yeti returned followed by the gold man. North explained the situation as both Sandy and Pitch exchanged frowns.

Sandy didn't respond for a moment, eyeing Pitch cautiously but he then nodded at North. Before Pitch had time to react gold sand was thrown at his face, knocking him out.

"Thank you Sandy," North said. The gold short man nodded, "Now have the others calm down yet?"

Sandy understood immediately that by others, North meant Jack and Bunny. He held up a thumbs up.

When he, North and Phil left the infirmary they found the other guardians sitting in one of the sitting rooms. Bunny was sitting by the fireplace, cleaning his boomerangs, seemingly no longer angry, at least not at the moment. Tooth and her fairies were crowing over Jack who was perched on top of one of the armchairs.

"Tooth I'm fine!" Jack cried.

"Jack, one of the fearlings stomped on your hand!" Tooth cried as she tried to reach said hand.

"So?" Jack said, keeping his hand out of Tooth's reach.

"So let me see! You might have broken it!" Tooth scolded, as she grabbed Jack's arm. Baby Tooth flew out the group of her fellow tooth fairies and started chirping agitatedly, seemingly to be telling Jack off. Jack frowned at the little fairy but the fairy simply returned it. Eventually Jack sighed and let Tooth look at his hand, trying to ignore the happy chrip Baby Tooth made as she rested on his shoulder.

"It's fine," Jack said as Tooth examine the hand.

"I think it's broken." Tooth said. "I don't even know how you managed to hold your staff in both hands. Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"It's not broken-"

"Jack," Tooth warned. It was the same tone Jamie's mother would use when she wanted her son to tell her the truth.

"Okay fine, it's broken." Jack sighed, rolling his eyes, "But honestly I forgot about it."

He let Tooth tell him off for being so careless and not telling them even if he did, as he said, just forgot, before allowing her to fuss over her hand like a worried mother.

"Bunny, if you promise to not go kill Pitch can you go and see if North doesn't mind us borrowing some bandages...oh hey North you're already here." Tooth said as she glanced up.

Immediately Jack leapt of the chair to his feet. Tooth floated down next to him, worried about his injured hand but Jack ignore her, staring at North. Over by the fireplace Bunny stood up also.

"Is he alright?" Jack asked.

North held up his hand and, after quietly asking Phil to get some bandages – who grumbled as he thought he would at last get a few minutes break – answered Jack's questioned, "He's fine. Currently sleeping thanks to Sandy."

Jack sighed with relief and smiled at North.

"I still don't get why we're helping him." Bunny grumbled.

"Shut it Kangaroo."

Bunny's paw balled up into a fist but Tooth flew in between them before they both started fighting, "Alright you two, enough."

Bunny grumbled some more and crossed his arms while Jack responded with a jokey 'yes, mam' that made Tooth roll her eyes and smile. Phil return and gave the bandages to Tooth, quickly hurrying off before he was roped into more work. Tooth started bandaging Jack's hand despite his protests.

"Did you find out why he's now a teenager?" Jack asked. Tooth looked up at North in question, Sandy stopped smirking at how much Tooth was acting like she was Jack's mother and glanced up at North too and even Bunnymund looked half interested.

"I'm not sure. I think it's the same as when Bunny started to lose hope. Bunny became a weeny bunny and Pitch became a teenager."

Bunny blushed under his fur as he remember when he become a tiny cute fluffy little bunny and Jack tried not to smirk as he remember, which was easy as he became confused.

"So Pitch is starting to lose fear...? No that can't be right...wha...?" Jack spluttered. Voicing his confusion seemed to make him even more confused.

"You're on the right track. I don't think its because Pitch has lost fear himself...perhaps its because he's more afaird and is losing control over his own fearlings." North suggested.

"So...if he stops being scared and regains his control over the fearlings will he go back to his normal self?" Jack asked. When Bunny had started to regain his hope he had eventually turned back into a fully grown Pooka.

"I don't know," North answered.

* * *

It wasn't long before both Tooth and Sandy had flew off, having to go back to their respective jobs. Tooth had started working out on the field more often then she did, after when the fairies had been missing and she and the other guardians had to collect the children's teeth themselves she had realised how much she missed seeing the sleeping children. She still sometimes had to work back at her palace as her fairies still needed her to give them directions. Sandy had also been working harder than before, wanting to give children pleasant dreams after those nights were he had been gone.

Bunny went next; having to make sure everything in his warren was still under control. North had told them before they left that they would rearrange the meeting, that they were supposed to have before they got caught up in events, at another time.

Assuming Jack would leave as well North decided he would check on Pitch before going up to his office and continue on those new set of toys he had started to work on.

"North?"

North turned around to find Jack still there, hovering in the air. Jack dithered nervously, wanting to ask something but seemed on the verge of changing his mind.

"I...I wanted to know...can I stay here tonight?" Jack asked before he did change his mind.

He wasn't sure why. He guessed when he saw Pitch wounded earlier it had scared him and he wanted to make sure the bogeyman was alright. Plus after today Jack was exhausted and he didn't really feel up to flying over the world to find somewhere to sleep. His lake was an option but as Burgess was getting warmer, it wasn't exactly the best place for the winter spirit.

"Of course, Jack. You're welcome to stay as long as you like!" North said with a smile.

Jack grinned and thank him before flying off to his room, already knowing which one it was seeing as North had shown him many times when he had tried to get him to stay before.

North smile faded and he sighed and scratched behind his ear. Well at least Jack was choosing to stay now, even if the reasons wasn't what North had expected.

* * *

_**Sorry if it wasn't as good as the last chapter ^^;**_


	3. Chapter 3

Icy Shadows

Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch

_**Hey guys. Sorry this chapter took a little long, been back at college and work experience and hadn't really have the time. Also heads up, my family's moving next week so I won't be able to get access to the internet for a while meaning it may be a little more longer before I can update this again.**_

_**Anyway here's chapter 3. Also I will point out Jack and Pitch won't fall in love instantly. Through they do seem to become close in this chapter it's only because Pitch is starting to trust Jack and open up and only starting their friendship. I want it to be a slightly slow process through it hopefully won't be too slow for those who want them to fall in love quickly. 3**_

_**Anyway enjoy.**_

Chapter 3

The bright morning light shining through the window was what finally pulled him from his slumber. He groaned when the bright light hit his eyes, shutting them instantly and turning his head away from the window. Why had it gotten so bright? His caves was full of shadows and darkness, there usually was hardly any light-

Oh yeah. Pitch groaned again as he remembered. After his fearlings had turned against him and he had turned into a teenager he had been forced to leave his home otherwise he would have been killed by his own minions. He remembering being lost in his own home for days, the fearlings changing into about so all the familiar paths vanished and every friendly shadow became a trap, He remembered finally finding the exit and climbing out He remembered himself running through the woods, tripping and falling over upturned roots; stil not used to his new body. He remembered the fearlings cornering him by the lake and he remembered thinking it was over.

Then the fearlings had suddenly left; something or someone gaining their attention. Pitch hadn't stopped to wonder who or what, as he tried to get away. When he found that he couldn't, he was losing too much blood, he instead crawled over to the large boulders ducking in between them, praying the fearlings would not smell him out.

He remembered seeing an annoying winter spirit peering at him before he blacked out. When he had come round he had found himself in the North Pole of all places with one of his sworn enemies taking care of him.

Pitch's injuries finally caught up with this assessment, pain shooting through him as they reminded him a little too late that he was still in the North Pole. Great, just great. As things couldn't get any worse.

"Morning,"

Pitch's eyes snapped open to meet icy blue ones.

"Ah!" He screamed, jumping upright in panic – only to hiss as more pain erupted through him, again reminding him too late that he should not move too much.

Jack, seeming unaffected by the fact he had might have cause Pitch to have a heart attack, rested his head on his staff from where he floated above Pitch's bed, "You like ponies?"

"What?" Pitch cried.

"The dream Sandy gave you was about ponies galloping in a field so I assumed you must like them," Jack said. He grinned, "My dreams are usually about dolphins."

Pitch paused as his mind tried to process this information, "What?!"

"Yeah, it's kind of odd seeing as I haven't actually seen one properly in real life, just a small glimpse when I'm flying over the ocean. They like warmer waters see so I can't really hang about for too long."

"Why were you watching me sleep?" Pitch exclaimed.

"Huh? No I wasn't," Jack answered, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, "Well...only for a few seconds. Then I wanted to ask you why you were dreaming about ponies so I opened the curtains to see if that would wake you."

Pitch moaned and let his good hand plant in his face as he rubbed his forehead hoping to make the headache go away. It didn't and he looked up to see Jack, still staring down at him.

"You're still here?"

Jack nodded and the grey skinned teenager sighed. Deciding to make the most of it, he gesture to the winter spirit.

"Do me a favour and help me sit up."

Jack nodded and flew down and, surprisingly gentle, helped Pitch into a sitting position. Pitch was surprise, Jack was known for his boisterous nature and dangerous antics; he had thought Jack didn't even know the meaning of the word gentle.

"Thanks," Pitch muttered.

Jack smiled and flew back.

"You're welcome," He said.

There was silence for a few minutes as Jack did not know what to say and Pitch did not what to talk. Outside they could the rustle and bustle as already the yetis were up and in the midst of work.

Jack fidgeted, not really liking to be quiet for too long. However he wasn't sure how to strike a conversation with the scowling grey teen. He figured asking him again about his dream with ponies would just end with Pitch snapping at him.

"What exactly happened?" Pitch asked, breaking the silence, "When I paused out back at the lake I mean."

Jack smiled, glad he wasn't going to be stuck trying to figure out how to break the silence anymore.

"Well the fearlings came back so I took you to the North Pole. It was the first place I could think off, plus I was meant to be there anyway, we were suppose to have a meeting. The fearlings did attack us while we were in the snow but I managed to get us inside."

It was then Pitch's eyes fell on the white bandage on one of Jack's hands.

"After that I dropped you off in here and went to find the others. I made a mess in the workshop in my haste and they shouted for me for a few seconds. Then the fearlings barged in and we fought them, defeating several more before they decide to retreat to where, I don't know. Hopefully they get the message and stay away from here, for awhile at least. Tooth and Sandy asked me to explain about why the fearlings where there and I told them that I rescued you."

"I bet the other guardians were really happy about that." Pitch said sarcastically.

"Well Bunnymund was pretty mad at me...and I think Tooth and Sandy was a little shocked," Jack said, flopping down on the bed, pulling his legs up, his arms resting on his knees, "But they'll get over it. Besides North understood why I did it and he seemed alright that I saved you – I think."

"And why did you?" Pitch asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jack shrugged, "You may be evil but you were in danger and I couldn't just let someone die. Even if the others had disagreed with me,"

Pitch blinked in surprised. Jack had said it so nonchalantly as if it didn't matter that Pitch had tried killing him in the past. So far North and Sandy, the only other people, part from that yeti, that had entered the room, had regarded him with slight suspicion. Jack, however, was acting like he was chatting to a friend.

It felt...kind of nice.

"Thank you."

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and Pitch wanted to punch himself. He was the nightmare king, damn it! Who cares if Jack had saved him? Jack was a pest, and as he defeated Pitch when he had tried to get rid of the guardians, a sworn enemy.

But when Jack said, "Hey no problem," and beamed at him...

Pitch couldn't help but slightly smile back.

* * *

After he had breakfast and had tinkered some more with the new toys he was making, North had headed down to the infirmary to check on Pitch and, if the boy was up, if he was feeling up for breakfast. He hadn't seen Jack but he assumed Jack must either be still in bed or perhaps wandered off to places in the world that still needed winter, for North did not see Jack around the workshop, in the kitchen, or in the stables, the seemingly favourite hangout places for the Guardian of Fun at the Santoff Clausen.

He was therefore surprised when he entered the infirmary ward to find two teens sitting on the bed, talking, only one just slightly reluctant. As soon as Pitch spotted North however, he immediately clammed up, folding his good arm and turning his eyes towards the window.

Jack's eyebrows furrowed at the sudden change of demeanour and glanced over to the door.

"Oh hey North," Jack greeted.

"Morning Jack," North said merrily, patting the boy's shoulder before his eyes fell on the grey teen, "Morning Pitch."

Pitch grunted in a way North assumed was a 'morning' and fiddled with a bit of thread from the rips of his cloak. Pitch glanced up at Jack to see a thoughtful expression on the youngest guardian's face before he noticed Pitch watching and flashed a reassuring smile at him.

"How are you feeling?" North asked, checking the IV drips and Pitch's vitals.

"I'm fine," Pitch said curtly.

North nodded in response.

"You two want breakfast?" North asked Jack and Pitch both.

Pitch nodded, he had not been able to eat for a few weeks, always having to be on the run, and he was starving. Jack however shook his head, telling North he already ate when North had looked at him with slight concern.

North nodded and ordered one of the yetis to bring Pitch breakfast.

Jack however shook his head, "Already ate. And I'm also running late in spreading snow and winter."

As Jack jumped into the air, the window burst open, wind rushing in. It made North and Pitch shiver but Jack laughed as the wind rushed around him, happy he was alright after the fearlings had chased him inside.

"Be careful," North warned, "Fearlings are still out there."

"I'll be fine," Jack reassured North, grinning. He glanced over at Pitch, "See you later yeah?"

"Yeah..." Pitch said, surprise flashing across his face.

With a wave Jack allow the wind to take him outside, the wind, after Jack told it to, shutting the window behind him as he flew off into the sky.

North turned from the window to notice an unreadable expression on Pitch's face. It disappeared when Pitch notice North looking at him.

"What?"

"Now Jack's gone, how about telling how you're really feeling?" North asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm fine!" Pitch repeated.

North continued staring at Pitch, a disbelieving look written across his face.

"Okay fine! My head hurts and I'm in a little pain. Are you happy now?"

"Thought so," North said as he checked Pitch's medication, seeing that it had worn up, and fixed it. "I would've done that sooner if you told me."

"I don't need to be taken care off. Especially not by you," Pitch muttered.

North didn't say anything, jotting things down in a medical chart that Pitch didn't even know was attached to his bed. Pitch watched him from the corner of his eye.

"You don't want to take care of me, either, right?" Pitch asked sullenly.

North slowly put down the chart and looked up at Pitch. He placed his large hands onto the bed rest at the end of the bed.

"You want the truth?" He asked.

Pitch stayed silent for a moment then nodded.

"If you were brought to me at any other time and by any other person then no, not after what you did." North admitted.

Pitch just scowled, sitting back and crossing his good arm again, acting like he didn't care and wasn't interested in the conversation in the first place.

"However," North spoke, softer than before, catching Pitch's attention, "It was Jack who brought you here. Despite what you put us through, put him through, he still cared enough to save your life. Therefore I do care about if you get better or not."

"Why?" Pitch asked. "What has Jack caring enough to save me have to do with you caring about my wellbeing?"

By this point North had walked over to the door, opening it as if he was going to walk out without answering Pitch's question. However he turned his head to look straight into Pitch's gold ones.

"Because I care about Jack," North replied simply.

Then he closed the door leaving Pitch to mull over what the Christmas spirit meant by that.

* * *

North had only just sat back down at his desk again to work on his toys when the door burst open. In marched Bunny who was followed by a worried Tooth and Sandy.

"When said we'd arrange meeting for a later date, I did not mean the next day." North said through he greeted them with a smile.

Bunny simple glared in response, his paws balled into fist as he walk up straight to the desk and slammed his fist down.

"Why the bloody hell is that bloody bogeyman still here?!" He asked. "After he nearly destroyed Easter? Or did you forget about that, when he, you know, made children stop believing in us?"

North sighed and scratched his head. He had an inkling that the others would badger him for answers. He had just hoped it wouldn't be so soon.

Tooth fluttered closer, placing a hand on Bunny's shoulder for a moment to calm him, "Where's Jack?" She asked.

"Gone out," North replied simply.

That probably wasn't the right thing to say. Tooth's eyes widened, worry washing over her.

"He shouldn't be out! Not with a broken hand and-and with fearlings out there still!" She cried frantically darted to and fro from the desk to the window as if considering about chasing after Jack and bringing him back. She started speaking again only in her anxiety her words were going a hundred miles an hour and no body in the room could understand what she was saying.

North held up a hand trying to stop the hurricane of words, "Jack can take care of himself. He'll be alright Tooth."

"But-But-"

Images flashed on top of Sandy's head as he waved his hands, trying to calm her down.

"Sandy's right. Frostbite is always getting into trouble Tooth; he knows how to get out of it. He'll be fine," Bunny said. He still was glaring at North but knew a very frantic Tooth was hard to calm down. He was a little concern about the winter spirit being out there, just slightly, after those fearlings had chased him straight into the workshop (something that, until after Pitch had ruined Easter, they have never dared to do before) but like he said, Jack was known to get into messes and then fly his way out again.

Tooth still looked uncertain but she stopped darting and floated back down to the floor. She looked up at North again, also wanting to know why Pitch was still here. Sandy, while to be honest, so long as Pitch didn't harm any of them especially not Jack, was alright with the grey man – now teen – staying here, was also curious too.

"Our job is to protect children," North said.

"Just because Pitch is now a teenager does not make him a child!" Bunny cried in frustration, his Australian accent thickening in his anger,

North however was not threatened by this, instead just meeting Bunnymund's glaze with one eyebrow raised.

"Does that also mean Jack is not a child?" He asked.

Bunny spluttered before falling silent, unable to respond. Despite their rivalry and that he was sometimes really annoying, after Jack had been a guardian, Bunny had started to think Jack less of a nuisance and more like a child who was just having fun, as did the rest of the guardians.

"It ain't the same thing...Pitch was _turned_ into a teen..." Bunnymund said through with less force than earlier much to his dislike.

"Isn't it? We did not see Jack as a child until after the events of last Easter, no?"

As Bunny again was able to find a reply to that, North stood up and made his way around his desk, starting to pace his office slowly. Being the guardian of wonder; he could never stay still for quite so long, especially not while he was deep in thought. The others watched as North chose carefully what words he would say before he spoke.

"We know we ignored Jack for so long...but we're trying to make amends." Tooth's quiet whisper broke the silence. "We're trying to get him to open up, to see us all as his family."

Sandy shook her head at her and made a image of Jack watching the group, hesitating, longing to join them but looking unsure and finally shaking his head and turning away his face full of distrust before the sand boy flew off. Even though they were making up for their mistakes and Jack had forgiven then, it did not mean that Jack would instantly see them as his family.

"Sandy's right." North nodded, "Three hundred years is long time. He may have forgiven us but he doesn't forget. Jack still doesn't trust us fully, not after so many years of being ignored. And if he doesn't trust us he won't see us as family."

"What does this have to do with Pitch?" Bunny asked, crossing his arms.

"Was getting to that," North said and Bunny was nudged in the ribs by Tooth's elbow, causing the Australian to wince and glare at her, "Now Jack knows Pitch is dangerous. He had seen what Pitch has done. And he still protected him because that is in our guardian's nature, to protect. Jack has asked us to help him.

"Jack knows we don't trust Pitch nor that we really want to help him. He was fully aware that we could have simply just chuck Pitch out in snow. But he is allowing himself to place his trust in us, to let down the guard he has built during those three hundred years. That is why we help Pitch. Because if we lose Jack's trust now, after we've ignored him for three hundred years before, I doubt we'll ever gain it again."

The other three were silent as they looked at each other. They could all see that North was right. They couldn't lose Jack's trust now.

"Plus this may also be good for Pitch." North added, brightly, "By giving him a second chance he might actually see things in a better light and change his ways."

"Oh yeah? How you know that for sure?" Bunny asked, disbelief written in his tone.

"I can feel it – in my belly," North said, holding said stomach.

Bunny groaned and rolled his eyes, wondering why he hadn't seen that answer coming. It was always about the belly for North. But it had been right for a number of occasions so Bunny couldn't really question it.

"Alright fine!" The Pooka gave in, holding his hands up in surrender, "But I still don't like this!" He added crossly.

North smiled then looked at Tooth and Sandy, waiting for their response.

"Well if it gets Jack to start letting us in more, then I'm in." Tooth said, beaming, "Also it might be nice having a less mean Pitch about."

Sandy gave thumbs up through he added '_so long that Jack doesn't get hurt_' through sand images. Like mentioned before, Sandy personally didn't mind, as long that none of his friends got hurt.

"Good." North grinned, reaching his shelf. He grabbed something from the shelf and turned back to the others, "Fruitcake?"

"Um..no thanks," Tooth said at the same time while Sandy shook his head.

"Mate...how long has that been there?" Bunny asked, eyeing the fruitcake suspiciously as it looked slightly like it had been there since Easter.

* * *

It was just after lunch when Jack returned. Pitch had been picking at his food, his face furrowed in deep thought that he didn't notice when the windows opened and the wind carried Jack in along with a few pieces of snow accidentally. He only noticed when something was thrown onto the bed next to him, making him give a startled jump through not as bad as the one he gave this morning.

"Hey," Jack greeted with a smile before his face turned to concern, having noticed the expression Pitch was pulling earlier, "You alright?"

"What are these?" Pitch asked, switching the subject as he gestured to the pile. He picked up the black thing, holding it up as it unfolded itself, "Clothes?"

"Yeah," Jack replied, "I noticed that you were still wearing your ripped oversize cloak thing and thought you needed new ones. I couldn't really find a cloak or anything apart from in ones in the Halloween departments and they looked kind of fake so I just got you a jacket instead. Sorry if they're not the right size I just nabbed the first things I saw. If you on't like I can always take them back and get you some other things."

Pitch stared at the clothing. Jack had gotten him a black fleece jacket, thick enough to withstand the weather up in the Arctic but not too thick which was what Pitch preferred, he couldn't really stand thick clothing. There was also a simple grey top to go underneath that was only slightly lighter than his own skin and some black jeans. It wasn't something Pitch would personally choose for himself but he liked it.

"They're fine...but you didn't have to get these...for me."

"Why not? You need something to wear; that cloak is ripped to shreds and way too big. And I'm always passing a couple stores when I'm flying about, it wouldn't be too hard to drop into one for a few minutes and take them. Just as long as you don't tell North I forgot to pay for them. I'm trying to get onto the nice list for a change. I'm planning to go back tomorrow anyway to make sure the snow hasn't melted yet so I can pay for it then."

Pitch paused, again thrown of by how Jack acted like it was no big deal to be getting clothes, talking too or saving the life of an enemy that gave nightmares to children as a job. It wasn't what he was used to. He was used to people crying out in fear and running away or glaring at him angrily preparing to fight him. He wasn't used to this friendliness...and caring.

"Hey..." Jack said, sitting down on the bed and placing his staff to one side; shocking Pitch slightly, as apart from when Pitch had forced Jack to give him the staff for that Tooth fairy's life, he had never seen Jack let go of his staff.

It was only when Jack looked at him with concern that Pitch realise he was crying. He growled and looked to his lap, angrily trying to wipe the tears away.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, his voice gentle with concern, not sure why Pitch had starting crying. This made Pitch cry harder despite his frustrated attempts to stop.

"Why are you so nice?" Pitch snarled. He looked up at Jack, golden eyes smouldering in anger, rimmed with red, "You're supposed to hate me!"

Jack blinked in surprised at the sudden anger, not expecting it.

"Why?"

"Because I – urgh!" Pitch cried in frustration, "I'm the bogeyman. I terrorize children. I tried sending the world into the dark ages. I shot the Sandman in the back with an arrow. I ruined Easter and made it looked like it was you. I nearly killed you. Take your pick!"

Jack furrowed his eyebrows. Pitch turned his head away not bothering to wipe the tears streaming down his face now. Great. Now he just made Jack realise the reasons why he should hate him and just lost the slight hope of Jack becoming a friend – pretty much the only friend Pitch had ever had if he didn't count his fearlings and they turned against him. He waited for the white haired boy to fly off, to leave, upon the realisation that Pitch didn't deserve his kindness.

Instead he heard shuffling on the bed as Jack moved closer so when Pitch turned they were right next to each other. Instead of hate in those ice coloured eyes there was understanding. Compassion.

"Yes you are the bogeyman. You did terrorize children and you did try sending the world into the dark ages. You...did shoot Sandy and...you did make it look like I betrayed the others that Easter. And you did try killing me." Jack said, "But you did these things because you didn't think you had any other choice. You wanted to be acknowledge, you wanted to finally be believed in. I...I understand how that feels."

Jack stopped and glanced to the door, checking to make sure no one was about. He looked back before glancing down to his knees which he had pulled up to rest his arms on.

"To be honest...if I had gone on for maybe a couple more years, alone and still unseen...I might have done the same thing. And you have been around for more years then I have. Yeah, you did some bad things, a lot of bad things actually. But only because you snapped and wanted things to change. And...you seem to regret what you did now." Jack said, glancing at the boy, "Otherwise you wouldn't have burst into tears...right?"

Pitch stared, wiping at the tears on his cheek as he nodded slightly.

"So no I don't hate you. Even if you think you deserve to be hated which you don't." Jack said, before letting out a smirk and giving Pitch a nudge, "As long as we have that whole world becoming Pitch Black thing under control. Otherwise I will be forced to turn you into a popsicle."

Pitch slightly smiled at that making Jack's grin wider.

"Thank you...again," Pitch said.

"No problem." Jack replied.

With his foot Jack kicked up his staff so it flew into his hands and he hopped up into the air.

"I'll leave you to get change." Jack said heading to the door. He stopped though glancing back, "Unless you need some help what with you casts and everything."

"I can change myself!" Pitch cried, his cheeks flushing darker.

Jack smirked, a disbelieving look on his face.

"Holler if you do need help or anything and I'll go get North, 'kay?" Jack said, "See ya."

The door shut before Pitch could respond and instead he grumbled that it was only putting clothes on himself it wasn't that hard. He smiled though as he picked up the top first.

After ten minutes of struggling and cursing as the damn t-shirt wouldn't seem to go on Pitch decided maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some help, despite how embarrassing it was.

* * *

_**Lol poor Pitch XD. Please leave a review ^^**_


	4. Chapter 4

Icy Shadows

Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch

**_Hey guys just quickly uploading this at college. I get internet back on Friday yes! Anyway sorry this chapter is a little long I just ended up writing and couldn't stop. Sorry if I ramble._**

**_This is mostly a lighter chapter than the last one through there's still a little hurt comfort scene in it. I've decided Pitch along with you might be getting a little bored with Pitch being stuck in the infirmary so in this chapter he gets a tour of the place. Of course I have no idea what North's place layout and you weren't in the workshop for too long so sorry if I made mistakes or something._**

**_Anyway hope you enjoy._**

Chapter 4

It had been a week since Pitch had arrived at the North Pole. He was slowly on the mend, not in too much pain as much as he was before and he could manage to push himself up into a sitting position whereas before he often needed to be helped by Jack, North or one of the yetis. He couldn't move too much though as it hurt the side of his stomach where the largest of of all the wounds, he had needed to be stitched up, lay and his arm and leg were still in their casts.

North had told him if it was just his leg he would have to wait a few more weeks before he would be allowed to use crutches to walk and then have to wait longer yet before the cast finally came off but since his arm was broken too it was going to be a bit more difficult. Father Christmas had then trailed off having the look that Jack said was his idea look – the one he got when he thought of a new idea for a new brand of toys – on his face.

Pitch wasn't sure what idea North had gotten that day but he didn't really want to find out.

Jack would visit every day, often sitting on the bed and chatting to him for long periods of time before flying off to spread winter or something. North would also visit when he wasn't in the midst of work, to check to see if Pitch was doing okay and how his injuries were mending. Pitch was still uncertain by the Russian's presence, especially after that talk they had, but he was slowly getting used to it.

Sandy would sometimes stop in, to make sure the grey teen wasn't having nightmares. Pitch didn't know what the golden man thought during those visits. Sandy didn't seem to be spiteful or show any hostility towards Pitch; in fact the sandman was pretty nice to him considering all the things Pitch put him through. Pitch still thought that the Sandman was still slightly wary though.

Tooth did popped in a few times while he and Jack were talking but she didn't seem to know how to act at times. One minute she could be really friendly and chatty – she seemed to really like Pitch's teeth, claiming the one she had knock out was very white and shiny – the next she would be nervous and unsure. She would often end up talking to Jack more than she would to Pitch. Pitch assumed she was still uncertain because of what he did to her fairies, which was understandable. He had locked them in cages after all.

As for Bunnymund, he never entered the infirmary. Jack seemed a little disappointed but Pitch decided it was probably just as well.

Pitch was slowly getting bored being stuck in bed all day. Even when you were visited by everyday by people, when you couldn't do anything other than lie in bed while they could freely move about, it did get on your nerves slightly. And there was also the long periods when Jack would be gone and North and his yetis were too busy to keep him company. There were the elves but Pitch grew frustrated with them easily and by the end of the week they were too afraid to go near the door anymore.

All he could do in these moments was sit and stare at the ceiling, believing he was going mad or just sleep to pass the time. Sleep was a rare option as, despite claiming he wasn't scared of nightmares – he was the nightmare king for man in the moon sake's – he was scared. Usually he would have to wait for Sandy before he could sleep and of course the Sandman was either sleeping during the day or busy giving other children dreams throughout the world at night.

"Hey ya Pitch!"

Also another reason why he usually chose not to nap during those long periods was because he would jump right out of his skin as people – especially Jack – seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Do you have to startle me all the time?" Pitch asked, rubbing his face tiredly.

Jack paused as he thought Pitch's words over, leaning on his staff as he hovered next to the bed, "Hrm let me think...probably, yeah."

Pitch shot Jack a glare but after a week Jack just grinned in return. Eventually Pitch gave up glaring and sat up on the bed, rubbing the last of Sandy's sand out of his eyes.

He looked up at Jack and paused, frowning, a confused expression crossing his face. Jack noticed.

"What?"

"There's...something moving in your hair." Pitch said warily.

Indeed Jack's white hair seemed to be moving on its own accord. The movements were too big to be anything like nits or whatever mortal humans got in their hair. This however did not calm Pitch down as he backed away from Jack slightly, his hands going protectively to his own spikes.

Jack went to feel his hair in confusion and stopped short as suddenly his hair let out a squeak and out flew one of the tiny Tooth's fairy, giggling softly.

"Baby Tooth! How long were you in there?" Jack cried in delight as the fairy flew over to him. She chirped in response and Jack's face became one of concentration as he listened to what she was saying.

"You can understand her?" Pitch asked in surprised.

Jack glanced over to him and shrugged, "Er, sort of. Tooth taught me how and I've been spending a lot of time with Baby Tooth so I sort of understand. Only if I really concentrate on her chirps though; it's really hard to tell the difference between them otherwise. I actually can only understand Baby Tooth; the others fairies just sound like a bunch of birds. Tooth says it's because they all have their own certain chirps and squeaks."

"What did she say then?" Pitch asked and a smirk flashed onto Jack's face.

"Apparently this little fairy here is currently skiving off work and hid in my hair in case I ran into Tooth on the way here," Jack said and Baby Tooth's cheeks flushed, a little ashamed of skiving off, "She said she really wanted to spend time with me."

Baby Tooth chirped happily in agreement and then her eyes focused on Pitch, not looking away for a second.

"Um...hi..." Pitch said uncomfortably.

A scowl appeared on her face and all at once she began to be squawking angrily, flying over to Pitch and poking him on the nose with her tiny finger.

"Hey, hey, easy Baby Tooth!" Jack cried.

"She's the one I had in Antarctica, right?" Pitch asked. He recognised her for her eyes were a different colour and she had a tiny birth mark on her cheek.

"Yeah," Jack replied, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably, "I guess she's still a bit cross about that."

Pitch flinched as the fairy continued to yell at him in her fairy language. He was glad he didn't understand her; he wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear what she was yelling about. From the way her arm would gesture to Jack he could already guess she wasn't talking so much about her being trapped in his hand but rather about what he did to the winter spirit.

Then just as suddenly as she had started, Baby Tooth stopped ranting. She took a deep breath. Then, pointing a finger at Pitch in a last warning gesture ,she flew back over to Jack and sat in the surprised boy's hand. She looked up at him and cooed happily.

"I think she just wanted to get it out of her system." Jack said as the little fairy seemed to be happy again. She was no longer glaring at Pitch but smiling at him.

"Um...okay..."

Pitch had no clue what just happened and he wasn't sure what to make of the fairy's sudden change in behaviour. He eyed her warily, half expecting her to start squawking again. She just looked back with her big eyes blinking innocently as if nothing had happened.

"Anyway, I got you this."

Jack flew over to the door. He was gone for a moment before coming back, with him a-

"A wheelchair?" Pitch asked. He immediately perked up.

"I thought you might be getting fed up being stuck in bed all day." Jack said with one of his cheerful grins, "I know I would be."

Pitch felt smile grow on his face. It faded slightly however as he stared at the wheelchair, "You really didn't have to do that,"

"Pitch..." Jack whined, "Are we going to have to go through the whole 'I don't care that you're the bogeyman' thing again?" He sent Pitch a smirk.

Pitch let his grin return, "Guess not," He said.

"Good," Jack said, his smile widening, "Now let's get you onto this thing."

He wheeled the chair next to the bed and then flew over to Pitch, placing his hands under Pitch's armpits to help lift him up. Baby Tooth, wanting to help to, flew over to Pitch's hand and grabbed one of his fingers.

"Alright, on the count of three: One, two, _three_,"

Through Pitch could move himself without so much pain and, despite how skinny Jack appeared to be, he could lift Pitch fairly easily, it was still a difficult and painful progress to get Pitch out of the bed and onto the wheelchair. Poor Baby Tooth wasn't much help despite how hard she was trying, tugging at Pitch's finger and, when she gave up with that, pulling at his hair until Pitch was sure she would yank some of it out. Eventually through Jack managed to get Pitch settled onto the wheelchair seat, both he and Pitch panting in exhaustion.

"Next time we should probably just ask North," Jack said. Pitch nodded in agreement. The Russian could easily lift about almost anyone, let alone Pitch, with only one arm.

Once he got his breath back, Jack flew behind Pitch and grabbed the handles, Baby Tooth perching inside his white hair again, "Alright let's go!"

Pitch was a little worried that Jack was going to be the one steering. Especially when Jack whistled to the wind and suddenly charged forward. As soon as they were out of the door, Jack jumped onto the back of the wheelchair.

Pitch cried out and squeezed his eyes shut, expecting them to smack straight into the wall. When they didn't, he cracked his eyes open.

Luckily, for Pitch (and Baby Tooth who also let a squeak when Jack had jumped onto the wheelchair and had covered her eyes with her tiny hands), the wind had quickly obeyed Jack's call and had took charge of the wheelchair just as soon as Jack had jumped on. It had steered the wheelchair swiftly to the left and was pushing it along down the corridor at a fast, but safely controlled, speed. Jack let out a crow of delight and Pitch couldn't help but smile.

"You haven't had a full tour of Santoff Clausen have you?" Jack asked.

Pitch paused as he thought the answer through. He had been here, a few times, but they were usually during a destroy-the-guardians scheme and his main attention was usually the globe room. The longest time he had been there was when he had finally taken over and on the globe children's lights were rapidly switching off and of course he was once again focus on the globe; it was his fearlings who swarm through the entire place, destroying everything in their paths.

He shook his head in reply.

"Great; I'll show you around then." Jack said. He switched his voice to a mock tour guide tone, "And here we have the infirmary wards and the yeti's quarters. On the right you can see Phil's room which surprisingly is a complete utter mess despite that the yeti would usually yell at me if I happen to accidentally knock something over in the workshop and complains about messes all the time..."

Inside his room Phil, who happened to be cleaning said mess before he headed to work, started to grumble and shout at Jack. Jack just waved merrily at him as the wheelchair whizzed by. Inside Jack's hair, Baby Tooth giggled.

"Moving on, we enter the kitchen area where all sorts of meals – through mostly mince pies and fruitcakes and pretty much mostly Christmas food if I'm honest – which are all made by the lovely chefs here." Jack said waving at the yetis in there.

These yetis seemed less angry than Phil for they waved back but whacked Jack's hand when he tried to grab some of said mince pies. Jack shook his hurt hand and acted hurt and offended to which the yetis just rolled their eyes and went back to work. Then he nabbed a couple of cookies when they went past and the yetis weren't looking.

"Are you going to talk in that voice for the whole tour?" Pitch asked as Jack tossed him some of the cookies which he accepted gratefully.

"Yes," Jack replied snapping a piece of his cookie and offering it to Baby Tooth before biting into the rest of his. Baby Tooth ate the cookie delicately, doing her best to not let so much as a crumb fall into Jack's hair, through Jack reassured her he didn't mind if any did.

Pitch groaned and rolled his eyes. Jack smirked but decided to be kind and as, the wheelchair flew the chair down some steps, landing it smoothly onto the floor so not to jostle Pitch's wounds, switched back to his normal voice.

"This is the stables," Jack said, pointing over to another room, "That's where the sleigh is usually kept when it's not being used."

They passed the reindeers who all glanced up to see what was making the noise. When they saw Jack they cried in delight, through some of them were glancing at his pockets, expecting food to come out.

"Sorry guys, can't stop and I didn't have time to get you some carrots." Jack said, grinning; "Besides I gave you treats this morning."

The reindeers all pouted and went back to chewing on bits of hay. One, with an extremely shiny red nose, looked sadly as Jack passed.

"I'll see you later Rudolph, alright?" Jack called out to the reindeer.

Rudolph perked up, almost looking excited as a puppy would when it's master promised walkies. Jack laughed and the wind flew them up another set of steps and into another part of the Santoff Clausen.

"I see Rudolph's your favourite then," Pitch said, quirking his eyebrow.

"I like them all; really, they've all got their own unique personalities." Jack replied thoughtfully, "Actually Rudolph's quite a timid thing, really. He still shy around the other reindeers even North said, ever since that fog, they don't bully him anymore, in fact they all love him – like that song goes. It took me a while for him to let me pet him; North said he was even afraid of him at first. Now though he follows me about the stable like a little puppy. I have to always stop him from following me into the workshop at times."

Baby Tooth poked her head out of Jack's white locks so Pitch could see her and nodded in agreement, before chattering away, Jack listening hard and translating what she said to Pitch. The little fellow hadn't been scared of her as she was only a small thing but it had still been very shy when she had ever greeted it before. However now, seeing as she was a dear friend to Jack, Rudolph had started coming out of his shell around her too.

Pitch blinked in surprise. Ever since he heard that annoying song, he had thought that the red nosed reindeer would probably be a show off or something, seeing as it was always leading Santa's sleigh. Then again, Pitch never really listen to that song properly, seeing as it was a song that was played over and over and over again during Christmas, whenever Pitch heard it, he had the sudden urge to chuck something at whatever was playing that song to get it to shut up.

Jack steered the wheelchair around some elves that were stumbling around, getting in the way and flew them into the elevator, deciding the wheelchair was probably too heavy for the wind to lift it up a whole flight of stairs.

"So which floor do you want to go on?" Jack asked, "We can go onto the first floor which is where the workshop is, the second floor, which is where the globe room is, but there are some other rooms to explore up there as well, or the third floor which has the living room, the library, North's office, North's room, my room, the guest rooms exct."

"Um...how about we go to the third floor and work our way down again?" Pitch asked.

"Just what I was thinking," Jack said as he pressed the top glowing white button.

Feeling a tad safer that her mother wouldn't suddenly materialize out of thin air in an elevator, Baby Tooth flew out of Jack's hair for a bit. She sat down on the hand bars of the wheelchair and cooed softly, looking up at Pitch.

"She says you'll like my room," Jack translated.

Baby Tooth nodded – but before she could say anymore the doors slid open. They had reached the third floor.

With a worried squeak, Baby Tooth shot upwards and into Pitch's hair.

"Hey!" Pitch cried.

The fairy ignored him as she peered anxiously through his spikes. Through it was clear Tooth wasn't anywhere nearby, Baby Tooth didn't want to take any risks. She would be in so much trouble if Tooth found out one of the other fairies was covering for her.

Pitch shot Jack a glance who just shrugged in reply. Through Pitch was still wary of the fairy after earlier, he decided so far she had started yelling at him again, so it was probably okay to let her hide in his hair.

Jack whistled and the wind took control of the steering again, rolling them along the balcony. Jack reached out his arm to open a door so that the wind would roll them in and take them around a circle of the room before pushing them out again.

"This is the living room," Jack said as they entered, "This is where we often hang out when we're not on official guardian business."

Pitch glanced around the room. He noticed a tiny bit of frost still lingering on top of armchairs instead of on the seats or hanging off one of the large beams that were up close to the ceilings, attached to the walls, or on the window sill, and assumed these were the spots Jack often sat. They were mostly the furthest places away from the fireplace so Pitch assumed the armchairs that were close to the fireplace were the others seats. He had a much harder time trying to figure out who sat where and so gave up when they headed out of the door.

"That's North's office," Jack said pointing to a room as they whizzed past, "I'm not sure if he's busy in there or own at the workshop but it's best not to risk it. When he's in the middle of toy making he doesn't like being disturbed at the best of times."

Pitch nodded and they headed off to explore the next room, "This is the library,"

Pitch blinked in surprise at how big the place was, "How many books are in here?"

Jack just shrugged, "I don't know, thousands? Haven't really asked. There's a shelf of books in the living room, a lot of the time, the books we want to read are all in there. I think only North and Tooth come in here often; they like reading a lot."

Pitch felt a rustle in his hair as Baby Tooth buried herself more in the black spiky locks, just in case her mother was hovering by one of the shelves right now. However they went through the room without spotting anyone in there and Pitch heard Baby Tooth sigh in relief.

When they enter the next room, instead of letting the wheelchair carry on through it, Jack hopped off the chair. The wind slowed the chair to a standstill, the weight; Pitch had felt when it had been pushing them, gone as without Jack it could no longer push the wheelchair, not without creating a huge gust of wind anyway.

"And this is my room," Jack said.

The room wasn't too big, just as big as any guest room, really. However the ceilings had been painted a light shade of blue. Icicles were scattered around the room, stalagmites hanging of the ceilings. There were also ice figurines, mostly on the chest of drawers that sat by the bed, but the ones that were too big were standing at the end of the bed. Pitch didn't glance at them all but he noticed a Baby Tooth figure, a ice statue of that boy in Burgess and his little sister and on the chest of drawers the other four guardians. The windows were open, blowing snow in and onto the bed which had darker blue sheets, through it was hard to notice with all the snow. Through the wind and snow was making Pitch shiver, he guessed Jack preferred sleeping in snow than on a bed.

"Yeah, I still not used to sleeping on a bed yet," Jack said, scratching the back of his head when he noticed where Pitch was looking, "It's great but after three hundred years outside it's...uncomfortable." The white haired boy shrugged, "I hopefully get used to it soon but at the moment I can't sleep without having a lot of snow around me. Sorry, it's probably freezing for you in here. I'll shut the window."

"No, no, it's fine," Pitch said, he focused on the ice statues, wheeling over to the large ones that were at the end of Jack's bed, "Did you make these?"

"Yeah..." Jack said, "Just when I have time to kill or when I still can't sleep. They still probably need some work on them,"

Pitch touched the one closest to him, a replica of Rudolph. The many details made the ice almost look like the living thing, only the coldness of it and the blue sheen making Pitch stop from believing he was staring at the real Rudolph.

"Are you kidding? They're great," Pitch said.

Jack beamed in delight. Pitch returned the smile. He didn't know why but when Jack smiled he felt a strange feeling in his chest that made him feel lighter and lighter. Pitch furrowed his eyebrows in confusion for a split second but when the feeling disappeared, he decided it was probably just his imagination.

"Right next room!" Jack cheered and hopped back onto the back of the wheelchair.

* * *

Pitch was a little disappointed that they were leaving Jack's room, despite that he was shivering and his teeth were starting to chatter in there. He had wanted to look at the ice figurines more. The tour started to become a tad boring with the only other rooms being the guest rooms.

It was only when they were going through the last of them that Pitch realised something.

"Jack...why are we going into every single guest room?"

It was alright to go in one or two guest rooms maybe a little more if you were really keen. But to go into every single guest room was a little too much, especially seeing as they were all pretty similar. Jack was the guardian of fun and the spirit of winter. He would have gotten bored after touring the _first_ guest room and had steered the wheelchair back to the elevator so they could continue the tour, why was he going through every single one?

Jack shrugged, once again scratching the back of his head nervously, "Well I thought if I showed you them all it would be easier for you to pick one as your room later on."

"My...room?" Pitch asked.

"Yeah," Jack said, "You're not going to be stuck in the infirmary forever. Once you at least can start using crutches you'll be able to move up here and of course once you're fully healed you can stay here too."

He then backtracked slightly, "I mean, if you want to stay here. If you want to leave when you're fully healed you can do that too."

Pitch felt the dark shadow of gloom sink down onto him once again and he scowled at the floor.

"Jack...I'm not going to stay here."

"W-Well if that's your decision then-"

"No!" Pitch yelled, surprising Jack – and himself, "I _want_ to stay here. But do you honestly think I be allowed once I fully healed? When I'm in crutches and if your friends take pity on me, then maybe yeah. But once I'm able to walk with no aid whatsoever they'll kick me out."

"They wouldn't do that," Jack argued.

"Oh yeah? And how can you be so sure?" Pitch asked, crossing his arms, ignoring the wince as he crossed the broken arm this time as well.

Jack opened his mouth to reply. However no sound came out and he slowly closed his mouth again. He _wasn't_ sure. Pitch felt slightly guilty but stay crossing his arms; knowing he was right.

"You can stay long as you want."

They both turned to find all four guardians standing there. Both boys blinked in surprise. A smile slowly grew on Jack's face.

"I can?" Pitch asked.

North stepped forward, Tooth and Sandy following him, one step behind. Bunny stayed by the door, his fury arms folded.

"Long as you want," North repeated, placing a hand on Pitch's shoulder, "If want to stay forever, you can. If want to leave, you can. It is your decision."

Jack's grin widened even further and he smirk at Pitch. Pitch returned the smirk with a tiny smile, still a little shock and bewildered. He could stay? Forever, if he wanted to? He never had been allowed to have that decision before, usually everyone just wanted to get rid of him at that was that.

"How come you're all here?" Jack asked.

"We've all decided to have the meeting today, mate," Bunny said and all of them turned back to the door.

The rabbit still glared at Pitch as he leaned against the door, clearly not liking that the grey teen was there. However there wasn't much malice in his eyes as Pitch thought could have been and he didn't say anything to the nightmare king, ignoring him, almost. Pitch decided this was probably a good thing.

"We were all heading to the globe room. We just came to fetch you." Tooth added.

"Alright then," Jack said, "Let me take Pitch to the living room and I'll be there in a sec."

The guardians nodded and headed off.

"Baby Tooth, don't think I know you're there." Tooth said as she reached the door.

Pitch's hair squeaked and Baby Tooth flew out, wailing apologies at her mother. Tooth just sighed and shook her head, through she wasn't really cross.

"We'll talk later, okay? Now head back to work – and _don't_ let me catch you skiving again."

The little fairy quickly nodded and zipped out the room and out of sight, not daring to disobey her mother.

Like he said, Jack rolled Pitch into the living room, parking him near the fireplace, promising he'll be back later before flying off to the globe room for the Guardian's meeting. Pitch had no idea what they discuss in these meetings. Probably about the safety of the children and how many lights were on that globe or something of that sort.

After a few minutes Pitch got bored. He started to try and figure out how to make the wheelchair roll himself and after a few tries manage it. After spinning around in a circle and trying to see if he could do any tricks (he couldn't) he went over to the bookshelf Jack had mentioned early.

He immediately started to wonder which books were the ones Jack usually read, scanning the books in case there was still some frost or snow on the spine. He wondered if Jack even read. The winter spirit seemed to be always constantly moving about, Pitch couldn't really imagined him sitting on an arm chair, curled up with a book. Then again the winter spirit was also full of surprises so maybe it was possible.

Then Pitch wondered why he was wondering what books Jack read. Why did he want to know which ones were the ones Jack pulled out from the bookshelves, which one he read the most?

Shaking his head, Pitch picked one book – and something tumbled out of the bookshelf suddenly. Pitch managed to catch it before it hit the floor, wobbling slightly in his wheelchair but he managed to stable it.

Book completely forgotten, he stared at the object in his hand. It was an ice statue, by the looks of it, unfinished which may have been why it was hidden in the bookshelf. The figure was slender, wearing a fleece jacket, with eyes that seem to pierce through anyone who stared straight into them. The spiked hair was what gave the identity of the figure away to Pitch.

It was him.

* * *

**_I have no idea where the ice statues came from. I was thinking about using them in another fic I may or may not write then I thought they would be good to add them to Jack's room (to make it slightly different from the other Jack's rooms I read in fanfics) and then the idea of Jack making a ice statue of Pitch just popped out._**

**_About Jack sleeping in snow..he is going to get used to sleeping in beds without it but I thought after 300 hundred years he wouldn't be used to it and so he has the window open to bring in snow for comfort. _**

**_Lol I love Baby Tooth! Can't add anymore to that._**

**_Please leave a review ;)_**


	5. Chapter 5

?Icy Shadows

Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch

_**Hey guys sorry this took so long. Our internet company took ages in getting us connected again after we moved and I've been so busy with assignments and resubmission plus I kept getting writer's block on this chapter too. Again really sorry.**_

_**While we're here I really want to thank you guys for the reviews. I didn't expect so many for this fic! You guys are amazing! Cookies for all of you!**_

_**Oh yeah I've also drawn a cover for this fic. Hope you guys like. I know my style in drawing people is very weird but hey, I'm not good at drawing eyes. Or noses. Or hands and feet either. :3**_

_**Okay I won't keep you guys any longer. Here's chapter 5.**_

Chapter 5

When Jack returned to the living room after the meeting, Pitch had already return the ice statue and the book back to the places they had been and had moved over back to one of the small tables.

"Sorry, didn't realise how long the meeting would be," Jack apologised, "I probably should have gotten out some games for you to play to past the time."

Pitch smiled in response but inside his head, questions kept popping up. _Why did you make an ice statue of me? Why is it hiding in the bookshelf and not in your room with the others? Why is it so important for me to need to know these answers?_

He couldn't voice these questions however as the other guardians had appeared in the doorway. Pitch remembered Jack saying this was the room they hung out once official business was over and wondered about scurrying (or in his case; wheeling) back to the infirmary.

They were all smiling however. Tooth and Sandy were quietly discussing something. North and Bunny seemed to be arguing whether Easter or Christmas was better; but it seemed to be a friendly argument and, judging by the way Jack rolled his eyes, one they had many times. Through Bunny still did not spare Pitch a single glance; the atmosphere in the room was light hearted and the thought of hiding away in the infirmary quickly faded away.

"The meeting went well then, I assumed?" Pitch asked Jack.

Jack shrugged, smiling as he lay down in the air, looking at Pitch upside down, "Pretty much yeah. Children are still having pleasant dreams and still believing, Tooth hasn't had any problems doing rounds. There haven't been any problems in Bunny's warren and North thinks he might have all the Christmas presents finished a month early this year if things go according to plan. A lot of places have been going into summer months so there's only a few places I need to spread winter and I'm almost done with that; apart from when I have to check back to make sure the snow hasn't melted."

Pitch nodded and smiled, his smile widening even more as he realise that if Jack wasn't busy spreading winter he would have more time to spend with him. And then Pitch frowned again as he pondered that thought made him so happy.

Jack didn't notice the frown on Pitch for a frown had appeared on his face too as he continued speaking.

"The only problem really is that the fearlings are still out there; through they haven't been spotted since they were chased ot of the workshop."

Pitch froze, thoughts completely forgotten as soon as Jack had mentioned the fearlings. He had almost forgotten about them.

"We'll get them through," Jack hurried to reassure the grey teen, "Sandy's keeping an eye out and me and Bunny decided we'll do a couple rounds at night to see if we can spot any sign of them; him checking the warmer countries, me the colder ones. So don't worry about them too much."

Pitch did not respond to Jack's reassurances however, as the memories of the fearlings' attacks sprung into his mind. Unbeknownst to him his breathing was starting to quicken as he remembered. The fearlings charging at him, stripping him of his powers by ripping them from his soul before carrying him back to the dark place he once called his home. Their eyes once a gleaming gold that mirrored his own turning into blood red. He had no powers left, they had devoured them all. But they could still smell the fear radiating from their once master and they weren't going to stop until they had devoured every last inch of that fear even if they had to kill for it...

"Pitch!"

Pitch let out a loud cry and nearly tipped over his chair. In fact he would have done if Jack hadn't noticed and had grabbed the arms of the chair before the chair did topple over.

Pitch barely noticed that, nor that his breathing was coming out in ragged gasps as if he had run a marathon. Jack was mere inches from his face and all he could do was stare into those almost crystal clear eyes. They were full of worry and concern and slightly panicked; not expecting Pitch to react in the way he did.

But, despite that, they were also...calming. Their bright crystal blue was a heavy contrast to the blood-lusting red eyes of the fearlings; that was one reason. But they were also the eyes that had held compassion when he had began crying because he felt he wasn't worth his friendship. They were the eyes that were always filled with joy and laughing. They were the eyes that made him smile despite himself.

And somehow they made him feel not so afraid. His breathing was beginning to slow and he could feel the muscles that had immediately tensed upon hearing the word 'fearlings' loosen so he almost sagged in his chair with relief. The panicked look in Jack's eyes too faded as Pitch started to calm down, through the concern was still there.

"You okay?" Jack asked.

"Yeah..." Pitch said, finding his voice, despite having calm down, still a little shaky, "Yeah...I'm alright."

They were silent for a few seconds not knowing what to say. Pitch noticed that their faces were still a few inches apart.

"Sorry," Jack said, a small sad smile on his lips, "I probably shouldn't have mentioned them, huh?"

"No, it's fine," Pitch said his voice not so shaky anymore.

The sadness from Jack's smile faded and the smile widened a little. Pitch returned the smile. That butterfly feeling appeared in his stomach again.

Both of them had forgotten about the others in the room. A big booming voice suddenly echoed through the room.

"Who wants eggnog?"

Jack and Pitch sprang apart in surprise, Jack flying a few inches up in the air, Pitch's chair rolling backwards before he managed to find the breaks and stop it before he crashed. He felt his face heat up in embarrassment and he wondered why.

"No thanks," Jack reply to North who was holding up large mugs of eggnog.

Bunny and Tooth shook their heads and, once he had managed to stop flushing, Pitch also turned down the offer. Sandy however zipped straight over to North, grabbed a mug of eggnog from him, and started chugging it down in one go.

Pitch blinked in amazement. Jack and North laughed while Bunny and Tooth rolled their eyes.

"Sandy! You love eggnog more than I do!" North chuckled in his booming voice.

Sandy nodded up to the taller man and then glanced down at his cup which was now empty. He looked back up and pouted.

"Alright, will get you more! Patience, little man."

Sandy raised his eyebrow at that last comment but nevertheless waited patiently as North went over to a barrel that Pitch hadn't noticed in the corner, turning the small tap and filling the cup to the brim with more eggnog. The small golden man silently cheered in delight, a golden thumb up appearing above his head as he took the eggnog from North.

"Don't ever try to beat Sandy to an eggnog drinking contest," Jack said to Pitch, as he flew back down beside him, "He'll beat you hands down. Unlike the Kangaroo over there," He gestured his thumb to the rabbit who had hopped slightly nearer to them to watch Sandy down _four_ more cups of eggnog and still merrily demand more.

"Oy, I heard that," Bunny snapped, glancing over at Jack. However he didn't seem to be in a bad mood. He still did not look at Pitch however.

Jack sent him a smirk, "Can't help it if it's true, Cottontail. I beat you in that race a few weeks ago remember? And I beat you in that eggnog contest Sandy held, even if I didn't manage to beat the Sandman himself."

"You won that race because you cheated with that staff of yours and I don't like the taste of eggnog," Bunny huffed.

"Sure," Jack said in a disbelieving tone, "I bet you couldn't even beat me in a game of arm wrestling."

Bunny met the winter spirit's glaze.

"You're on mate."

With that Bunny marched over to one of the small tables and sat down at it sticking out his furry paw. Jack joined him and mirrored his actions. They grasped each other's hand and after the rabbit counted to three, begun.

Pitch watched on. He had expected for Bunny to wins hands down. The rabbit's arms was large and muscular after all, seeming even larger compared to Jack's arms, which seemed to be a tiny matchstick compared to Bunny's.

Yet surprisingly Jack held out well, grinning slyly as Bunny tried and tried to push his arm down before trying to push the rabbit's arm down himself. Both arms wavered. An arm would start to falter and the person pushing would smirk, thinking he had the upper lead, before suddenly the other would push violently and the tables turn with the person who was winning now trying to stop his arm from being pushed onto the table and the other person smirking at them.

Pitch watched this for a few minutes as it continued on. Then he almost jumped as the Tooth fairy spoke from besides him. He had been watching so intently he hadn't even heard the faint buzz of her wings as she came over.

"Um..." She said, an uncertain look crossing her face, still unsure how to act around Pitch.

"Hey..." Pitch replied.

Pitch was still unsure how to act around her so he just glance at the rectangular box she held in her hands. The word 'chess' was neatly written on in a handwritten italic scribble. She held the box up when she saw Pitch looking.

"They're gonna take a while," She said, nodding at Jack and Bunny who was still trying to beat each at arm wrestling. "And...normally I would play chess with Sandy but when he had a few rounds of eggnog it becomes ridiculously easy to beat him at chess," She blew upwards at her feathers, "So, um, how about we play?"

Pitch stayed quiet for a moment. Honestly, he was still getting over the shock that she actually wanted to play chess with him. He was still a little uncertain though knowing that from the way she reacted around him the last week she still didn't seem comfortable around the nightmare king.

But after glancing over at Jack again and seeing the fierce competitive looks on both his and Bunny's faces, he realise it was going to take a while. And to be honest he was getting a little bored of watching.

He turned back to Tooth and nodded, "Sure,"

Tooth's face immediately perked up and Pitch leaned back, slightly unsure about the sudden mood change.

"Really? That's great. Hang on let me get the chess board set up so we can play. Have you played chess before? I'm a pretty good player but I still haven't beat Sandy yet, unless he's been drinking eggnog of course. I can beat North and Bunny though. Jack doesn't usually play though I don't know why, chess really fun to play, you know, once you get into it."

As she babbled on, she wheeled Pitch over to another table and started taking the chess board and chess pieces out of the box, setting it up on the table. She carried on chatting away until after they had started playing and she started to fully concentrate on the game, determined not to be beaten. Pitch couldn't hep but feel a little grateful when she stopped. She talked too fast to understand and he really didn't know how to respond – through then again he doubted he would have gotten in a word edgewise even if he did know what to say to the human sized fairy.

After sometime Bunny and Jack eventually decided to call it quits and say it was a draw, upon realising that they weren't going to beat each other. Well Jack said he was just about to beat Bunny before the Pooka had said 'time out' but Bunny, for once, decided to just ignore that.

They both came over to Tooth and Pitch's table, Pitch barely noticing, he was concentrating so hard. North and Sandy who had both been raining down eggnog also wandered over to see who was winning to chess game.

"Aha!" Tooth cried, moving one of her white chess pieces and taking one of Pitch's black chess pieces, "My queen takes your knight. How you're going to beat that?"

She was hopping down on her seat, thinking she was winning the game. Pitch stared down at the chess board, his eyes furrowed as he pondered what chess piece to move. After a few seconds he moved his bishop three spaces to the left, and hopped over Tooth's king.

"Checkmate," He said, a small smirk appearing on his lips.

Tooth stared down at the chess board, her eyes wide open as she took a few seconds to realise Pitch had beaten her.

"Ooh, I should have seen that one coming!" Tooth whined, letting her head fall onto the table. Sandy, while laughing silently, a little drunk on eggnog, gave her a comforting pat on the back.

"You won Pitch!" Jack cheered, giving him a slight nudge and another one of his grins.

Pitch felt his cheeks grow hot a little at the praise. Honestly it was simple chess game, one Pitch could have done blindfolded – no offence to Tooth, she was a pretty good chess player. It wasn't really something to get all excited about. However as soon as Jack had praised him Pitch actually felt slightly please he had won.

"How about best out of three?" Tooth asked, not wanting to meet defeat just yet. Besides him Jack laughed.

* * *

North watched as Tooth and Pitch had a rematch as Tooth tried to beat Pitch at chess. It was slightly more harder this time for they now had Jack watching. He kept interrupting their focus, asking them question after question about the rules of the game, his blank face clearly stating that he still didn't get it after both Tooth and Pitch explain them again and again. He also picked the chess pieces up at time, confused at why the chess pieces were plain and didn't have many features, suggesting that they should at least have faces or something. He stopped that after he was told off for moving the chess pieces and leaving frost over the chess board but he continued to ask his question.

North just laughed, not saying anything to Jack about distracting the two. Curiosity and wonder was his centre and he wasn't going to stop Jack expressing his curiosity about the game. Besides North didn't understand chess either.

There was another reason also why he didn't tell Jack off. While Bunny and Tooth may have not notice it yet, and Sandy had drunken a little too much eggnog too think straight at the precise moment and Pitch hadn't been around long enough to know, it hadn't taken long for North to realise.

Normally when the guardians met to have a drink and just chat, Jack had this habit of removing himself from the others. Not at first, no, at first Jack would happily sit among the others and play games, changeling Bunny to matches, letting the Baby Teeth chase him about allowing Tooth to have a little break, suggest ideas for toys North could mate, talk to Sandy, all sorts. But, after a while, when Jack didn't think they were paying attention, he would start drifting away.

North had notice he often go to the bookcase where he kept the unfinished ice statues he would make and fly to the windowsill, where after opening the window he would talk quietly to the wind, the wind not allowing his voice to carry over to them. Or he would fly to one of the beams that stuck out on the ceiling and perch on that, hidden from view from those below. He often be in these places, even when the guardians weren't together and North was busy working. North had noticed Jack flying to the living room that week when he wasn't creating winter or with Pitch or playing elf bowling with the yetis, building another small ice statue, of what North didn't go, nor did he want to intrude on Jack's privacy by taking a peak behind the books on the bookshelf.

Today however...today that didn't happen. While Jack clearly showed no interest in chess, he did not move away from the others. For the first time that he had been a guardian Jack did not drift from them for the whole time they were there. The small sad smile that would appear as he watched them all from afar did not appear on his face today as he circle around the chess players and teased Bunny about chickening out in their arm wrestling game.

Sandy had flown over while North was thinking silently, the eggnog wearing off a little. They both shared a look of understanding as they watched the white hair boy chat to Pitch, unintentionally side tracking him from the game, allowing Tooth to take some of his chess pieces.

-"He is starting to trust us," North whispered quietly so the others wouldn't hear; "Only start, but it is better than nothing."

Sandy nodded in agreement. Looking up at the bigger Russian man, he started forming sand above his hand, creating an image of a golden teenage Pitch.

North chuckled, "You might be right. Maybe Pitch being here is turning out better than we thought."

* * *

Soon the guardians had to return to their jobs and Jack and Pitch still had to finish the tour. After they said their goodbyes – Bunny had even slightly nodded at Pitch through he still didn't say anything – Jack hopped onto Pitch's wheelchair and they continued down the corridor towards the elevator.

"Now what?" Pitch asked, glancing up at Jack as he parked them inside and the elevator's doors shut behind them.

Jack titled his head as he tried to remember what they had been doing before the meeting, "Well we could continue the tour; we still got the second floor and the workshop to see. Or...we could go down to the stables and I can properly introduce you to Rudolph and the other reindeers before lunch."

Pitch titled his head as he considered this option. He would quite like to see the workshop and any other rooms that were interesting, but he wouldn't mind meeting the reindeers properly too, after finding that Rudolph was a shy thing he was now curious about what the others were like as well.

"The second option sounds good," He replied.

Jack lit up, "Great! Okay we'll head to the stables. We'll need to make a detour to the kitchens though – the reindeers get pretty hungry at this time and if you don't have a supply of carrots with you they'll try munching your pockets instead."

He showed Pitch his hoodie pocket, which on closer inspection had been stitched up as if something had ripped it off and either Tooth or Jack himself had to stitch it back together. Pitch didn't really want that to happen to his new outfit, especially seeing as Jack went out of his way just to get it for him.

So when they exited the elevator they headed into the kitchen. None of the yetis were there, having finished most of the cooking, apart from the few things still in the oven. There were silver trays placed neatly on the kitchen table, all covered with trays or tightly wrapped in tin foiled in order to try and prevent frosty fingers from stealing anything from them. Pitch noticed Jack looking at them, tempted but the boy then flew over to the cupboards instead, the wind opening the doors for him and levitating a large bag of carrots over to his hands.

"Thanks Wind," Jack thanked it before flying back over to Pitch. Pitch felt a cool sweep of air circle them, almost as if the wind was saying 'you're welcome'.

When they entered the stables the reindeers immediately rushed over to the wall of their pen. Their eyes filled with excitement when they saw Jack, some even hopping up and down.

Jack laughed and after the wind had shut all the doors, he opened the pen gate. Immediately they swarms him, some nudging him gently, asking for some carrots while others tried to nip at the bag and snatch the carrots away for themselves.

"Woah, woah, easy there, guys! Ouch, Prancer, you're stepping on my feet! Blitzen, you'll get your carrots in a minute, stop chewing the bag already! Oh, don't you start too, Vixen! Both of you off!"

Pitch laughed as Jack struggled with two reindeers who were trying to pull the bag away from Jack's grasp in a game of tug and war. A reindeer suddenly rammed into the two mischievous reindeers, allowing Jack to hold onto the bag.

"Thanks Dasher," Jack said to the reindeer.

The reindeer Dasher grunted in response. Jack gave him the first carrot, giving the next to the one name Prancer and the other four reindeers which Jack pointed as Dancer, Cupid, Comet and Donder that surrounded him and had waited patiently for their snack. After Blitzen and Vixen pouted and brushed against Jack in apology, Jack laughed and gave them some carrots as well.

Rudolph stood outside the group. The red nosed reindeer seemed too shy to barged in along with the others even through the reindeer Cupid seemed to move over a bit to give him room. Instead Rudolph waited patiently.

Jack smiled and he made his way through the other reindeers munching happily on their carrots. He held out his hand and the reindeer walked over to him and leaned into it, allowing the winter spirit to stroke him.

"Hey there boy," Jack spoke softly.

Glancing up, Jack gestured for Pitch to come over. Pitch, suddenly unsure about the whole situation, rolled over slowly, a little tricky with all the bits of hay scattered on the ground.

"Rudolph, this is Pitch," Jack said to the reindeer.

Pitch reached out to stroke the reindeer. Immediately Rudolph's eyes widened and with a shriek he darted into the pen, backing into a corner, quivering from head to toe.

The other reindeers glanced up at the commotion but then turned back to their eating.

"Ah...I forgot that might happen," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Hold on a sec,"

With that the white haired teen flew over to the pen and started trying to coax Rudolph to come back out.

Pitch sighed and looked away. Of course. He should have remembered. He was the nightmare king, the essence of fear. All animals could sense it, even more so than children could, and would always run as soon as they sensed him. They didn't even have to spot him before they were running for the fields. Before, Pitch had never really cared. In fact he enjoyed that they were so scared of him.

Until now that was.

"Don't bother Jack," He grumbled when he saw Jack still trying to coax the reindeer out of his hiding spot.

"No, no, Rudolph's just being shy. He just needs to get to know you." Jack said.

Jack continued to approach the reindeer slowly and calmly. He crouched down to the reindeer's level and slowly reached out to stroke the reindeer's head. Rudolph at first flinched back but after a while calmed down. It was only Jack after all, his friend.

"Come on Rudolph, there's nothing to be afraid of," Jack spoke softly, softer than he ever spoke before. After petting the reindeer for a couple more minutes he gently tried leading him over to Pitch.

The reindeer froze as soon as he met eyes with Pitch's golden ones. But Jack continued to talk in that reassuring voice. Pitch watched in amazement, not daring to believe that this work. But after a few moments the red nosed reindeer plucked up his courage and walked over to Pitch, pausing every so often but still walking over to Pitch.

"That's it," Jack said when they finally reached Pitch's wheelchair. He passed Pitch some of the carrots, "Hold them out to him. Slowly, don't make any sudden movements."

Pitch nodded and wordlessly did as Jack said, holding out the carrot to Rudolph as slowly as he could. Rudolph still flinched. But then he glanced at Jack and seem to regain his confidence. He still regarded Pitch warily as he came closer and started nibbling the carrot. After a while he started properly muching into the carrots, his hunger overcoming his fear.

Pitch looked over at Jack and Jack nodded. Again with the same slowness as before Pitch reached out and touched Rudolph forehead.

The reindeer didn't flinched, allowing Pitch to pet him while he continued to munch on the carrots that Pitch held out to him. Pitch looked up at Jack in amazement and Jack grinned back.

"See. Told you Rudolph just needs to get to know you," Jack said.

He left Pitch to continue feeding Rudolph and flew over to the other reindeers, figuring from the grunts and whines that were erupting from them that they were wanting seconds, "Alright, alright keep your fur on guys."

Pitch watched him, continuing to stroke Rudolph and feed him carrots. He was pretty certain that the fact Rudolph had gotten over his fear of the king of darkness wasn't due to the fact that 'he just needed to get to know him' but because of Jack himself.

A small smile graced his lips and Pitch felt that weird butterfly feeling again. It was hard to believe that a few months ago Pitch couldn't stand the sight of the winter spirit. Now he had discovered that Jack wasn't some pest that had foiled his evil schemes. Jack had shown him kindness and compassion when anyone else would have not. Even the other guardians were slowly started to accept him when if Jack wasn't there they would have not even tried. Jack was the first person who had made him smile. A real smile. Not one of those evil sneers that Pitch would pull to scare people or when things were going his way.

Pitch eyes widened in surprise and he dropped the carrot he was holding, causing Rudolph to flinched back. He apologised to the reindeer, offering him the carrot again through he was still shocked by the realisation that hit him that he barely noticed when Rudolph shyly reassumed his eating.

_Am I falling for Jack Frost?_

* * *

**_Yes! Finally Pitch realise his feelings. It took you a while._**

**_Hope you enjoyed the chapter. And yes Bunny will soon start to like Pitch evetually. I thought I would have Tooth and Pitch bond first seeing as she's the only other person that still had a slight problem with Pitch. I'm not a chess player, like Jack I feel the game's to complicated for me and probably will bore me. No offence to those who love chess. Anyway if you can guess where exactly the chess game's moves with Tooth and Pitch used actually comes from you get a cookie!_**

**_I've read on wiki Sandy loves eggnog and in some fics I read eggnog seems to be a little like alochol. The thought of Sandy getting drunk on eggnog was hilarous so I had to put it down. Quick question what is eggnog? I'm from Britain and I don't think we have eggnog here (as far as I'm aware anyway, correct me if I'm wrong I've only heard of eggnog in cartoons). Does it really have eggs in it?_**

**_Please leave a review :D_**


	6. Chapter 6

Icy Shadows

Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch

Chapter 6

**_Argh sorry this took so long! I kept getting writer block. I think it's because my brain is getting ahead of itself. It wants to be further along in the story, it's hard to keep reminding it that it needs to write what's happening at the moment before jumping ahead otherwise readers would be confused. _**

**_Anyway thank you all for your wonderful patient and lovely reviews. Cookies for you all! I actually didn''t think eggnog could be alcholic! I just thought it be fnny to have it that Sandy gets drunk on it even though I assumed there was only non alcholic egg nog. It's just king of odd to be thinking protector of childhood to be drinking XD_**

**_Oh and yes the chess scene was from Harry Potter! Cookies and ice cream for Voice of Mars for guessing correctly! Yeah I stole the chess moves from the Philospher of Stone; it was the only chess I know! XD I don't even know if you actually hop over the chess piece to collect it or if that's just checkers. I may have to ask any of you readers to give me pointers should I make Tooth and Pitch play another game._**

**_Hope you enjoy the chapter!_**

How could this be happening?

He was the nightmare king! The creator of bad dreams! The very essence of fear! The guardian's nemesis! No, this had to be a mistake. Pitch could not be falling for Jack Frost. Jack was the fifth guardian for Man in the Moon sake! He was meant to be Pitch's enemy. He defeated Pitch that Easter, along with the other guardians, and then tossed him to the fearlings so they could turn into a defenceless teenager.

_Okay, you never thought that when you woke up in this place. You were more astonished that Jack had saved you life, despite the fact, as you put it, he's your enemy._

Okay, maybe Pitch didn't really think that, at least not anymore. Jack wasn't Pitch enemy now, none of the guardians were. North had basically told Pitch that he could stay at Santoff Clausen for as long as he wanted. Sandy had been friendly; despite the fact Pitch had tried killing him in the past. Tooth had even play chess with him. Bunny...well Bunny probably still considered Pitch as an enemy but he hadn't really done anything bad to Pitch. Pitch was starting to feel that maybe...they all might become friends.

Jack was already Pitch's friend. After all Jack had shown Pitch nothing but kindness and friendliness since day one, even comforting Pitch when he had burst into tears. Jack hadn't treated him like the guy who had tried killing him and turn children's dreams into nightmares. Jack had treated him like a person. He could make Pitch feel safe with just a simple look with those crystal eyes of his and his smile made Pitch's stomach do flips...Stop it, stop it, stop it! He was not falling for Jack!

_You know you really aren't convincing me here._

"You're not helping, brain." Pitch muttered under his breath

_Hey, I am being helpful. You're the one who keeps denying it._

"I'm not denying anything. I am not in love with Jack."

_Who said anything about love? Earlier you said 'you weren't _falling_ for Jack'. And now you saying 'you're not _in love_ with Jack'?_

"...Shut up."

_You shut up!_

"Oh, great, my brain has now turned into an arguing five year old. Could things get any worse?"

"You okay Pitch?"

Pitch could have slapped himself. Of course Jack was right there while Pitch was having a one sided conversation with himself under his breath. _Fantastic_.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine," Pitch said, running his hand through his spikes, shakily.

They had left the reindeers, now heading to the kitchen for lunch. Jack had leaned on the back of Pitch's armchair, talking about...something. Pitch had honestly been too busy caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't actually been listening.

Apparently Jack had finally noticed, "You sure? You've been awfully quiet."

"I'm sure," Pitch said, glancing up and giving Jack a quick smile. Truth be told he had been screaming in his head the whole time he was petting Rudolph once he realised that there might be a possibility he was falling in lo – might have a crush on Jack. He probably would have to apologise to the animal when he next saw him, as he probably wasn't paying much attention to the little red nosed reindeer.

_You wouldn't have even thought about apologising to anyone before you and Jack became friends._ His brain noted.

"I thought I told you to shut up." Pitch muttered, his tone darkening in hopes his brain would take the message and stop talking.

"What was that?" Jack asked curiously.

"Um, n-nothing," Pitch stammered, his smile becoming more strained.

"Hrm...okay!" Jack said cheerfully.

They entered the kitchen, which now had a few yetis filing in as they focused on the dishes that had been left in the oven. One glanced at Jack warily when the boy parked Pitch's wheelchair and cart wheeled in the air over to where they stood, but Jack just smirked and flew over to the fridge, not intending to steal their food, today at least.

"What do you want for lunch?" Jack called over his shoulder, "It's mostly Christmas theme so um...you can have turkey sandwich or some mince pies or a fruit cake...there's also a Yule log in here as well and oh! They got those little sausages wrapped in bacon too – er, what do you call them again? Ah never mind, what else is there? You can have a whole Christmas dinner, if you really hungry...and there's also-"

"Er, a turkey sandwich would be fine." Pitch said before Jack listed every single meal you could get at Christmas time.

"Turkey sandwich, coming right up!" Jack said, giving Pitch a smirk.

Pitch felt his cheeks heating up despite himself. God damn it, why was he was he blushing?

_Because you like him,_ His brain said in a teasing sing-song voice.

'Shut up.' This time Pitch remembered to say it in his head, instead of out loud, so Jack didn't hear him.

He ignored the voice in his head and watched as ingredients to make a turkey sandwich shot out of the fridge and flew into the air. It was joined by a few pieces of cutlery, a cutting board and some plates as the wind carried them from all different directions over to Jack, who now had gone to the table. The Yetis didn't seem to mind the flying objects, seeming to be pretty used to it and Jack got to work with preparing two turkey sandwiches, the wind eagerly passing him each item he need. Eventually he slid a plate over to where Pitch was.

Pitch nodded his thanks and then ate quietly. He was still trying to ignore his brain. So what if he was impressed at how Jack could control the Winds into making something simple as making a turkey sandwich into a speculator. That didn't mean Pitch fancied Jack. Anyone would have been impressed.

He watched Jack eat. Jack didn't seem to be even digesting the food, shoving the sandwich all in his mouth. Ew. Okay, brain, there was no way he would like someone who ate like that.

_Why are you watching him in the first place? _

'God damn it!' Pitch groaned.

He recalled when he had been adult and had said that the Guardians were the most annoying enemies he ever had. Well now he taken that back. Turned out the winner of the most annoying enemy award went to his brain, for not shutting up about the fact that he may or may like Jack. Stupid brain.

"Are you sure you okay?" Jack asked. Pitch looked up to realise he was too busy in his head and again hadn't been listening to anything Jack was saying. Jack was now staring at him worriedly, "You're not in pain, are you?"

"No, of course not," Pitch said.

Jack still looked unsure that he believed Pitch, tilting his head to the side in questioning.

_You know he looks very cute like that._ His mind whispered and Pitch had to shove a piece of his sandwich in his mouth to stop his cheeks from heating up again. Didn't his brain know that when Pitch ordered you to shut up, you shut up? Of course it was his brain, that rule didn't apply. Maybe it would shut up if Pitch banged it on the table a few times.

"You're not thinking about the fearlings again...are you?" Jack continued, interrupting Pitch before he could try out the head banging theory. The winter spirit furrowed his eyebrows, "You are, aren't you? I knew I shouldn't have brought that up earlier."

That managed to stop Pitch arguing with his brain.

"What? No, I wasn't..."

"I'm sorry...I just thought that you should know so you wouldn't have to be constantly worrying. But now you're worrying anyway." Jack moaned, placing his head in his hand. He had either not heard Pitch or didn't believe him.

"But I wasn't thinking about..."

Pitch would have continued if Jack hadn't let one hand fall from his head back onto the table. Jack then reached out over to where Pitch's hand lay on the table by his plate. Pitch gasped as Jack took his hand in his, words spluttering to a halt as he froze, staring down at their entwined hands. Jack was holding his hand. Jack was holding _his_ hand!

"Pitch, I promise you, we'll find those fearlings and defeat them. You don't have to worry, I won't let them harm you."

He stared into Pitch's eyes, his icy blue eyes so sincere and his smile so reassuring. Pitch could feel his cheeks turning a darker grey as he blushed. He looked away quickly, hoping Jack wouldn't see.

"Thanks," He replied quietly. Then, after a moment, he added, "You know, I've been saying that a lot recently."

Jack laughed and Pitch chuckled as well. They were still holding hands. Pitch had completely forgotten about the yetis that who were in the room, who were either watching the two boys curiously, or whacking said yetis in the head and telling them to get back to work and mind their own business.

The door bursting open snapped both of them back to reality. Jack dropped Pitch's hand, startled by the sudden bang of the door. Pitch also retreated the hand away quickly in shock as well. He could still feel the coolness of Jack's hand lingering on his own. He tried to ignore it as he turn to see who had entered the kitchen.

"Hey, North!" Jack grinned and waved as the Russian man walked in.

"Hi," Pitch mumbled quietly.

"Afternoon, Jack, Pitch," North greeted them both cheerfully. He glanced at the empty plates, "Had lunch?"

"Well I was thinking about having seconds," Jack said. He glanced over at Pitch, "Want any more Pitch?"

"Um...no thanks..." Pitch mumbled.

"Suit yourself," Jack said and flew over to the fridge again, searching for more to eat. He swiped several mince pies and, after a moment contemplating, a turkey leg as well.

North laughed as the boy flew back to the table and starting almost immediately wolfing down all the food in his arms.

"I like to see a boy with a healthy appetite," He said.

Pitch tried to smile but failed as he looked down at his lap. He was still clutching the hand which Jack had held a moment ago, as if trying his hardest to stop the cold lingering presence from ever fading away from his hand. Of course, it wasn't long before his hand felt warm again and the frostiness of Jack's hand was gone. Pitch let out a soft sad sigh.

"Pitch?"

Pitch looked up to see both North and Jack looking at him. North was looking at him with slight concern and Jack was looking worried again.

"I'm okay," He said, quickly to reassure Jack, not wanting to make him even more worried, "I'm just...a bit tired, I guess."

Jack flew over to him, "Why didn't you say?" He swallowed the last of his mince pie and grabbed the handles of Pitch's wheelchair, "Come on I'll take you back to the infirmary,"

* * *

Once Jack had shut the door, Pitch sat up on his bed, pulling his knees into his chest (ignoring the wince it caused) and turn to stare out the window.

"Alright, you win." He mumbled.

_Thought so_, His brain said cheerfully.

"Don't get so cocky," Pitch growled; trying to ignore that he was properly going mad seeing as he was now talking to himself.

_You know you're just calling yourself cocky, right? _His brain said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Pitch said, scowling upwards before he stopped himself. He winced and shuffled over to the bed, grabbing the wheelchair that sat at the edge of his bed. Somehow – and very painfully – he managed to get himself into the wheelchair. He longed for when he could walk in crutches, through he wasn't sure how that would be possible with his broken arm.

He rolled over closer to the window, watching the snow outside. He brought his hand, the one that Jack held, and rested his cheek on it, resting his elbow on the window ledge.

_For someone who has a crush on someone, you aren't acting too happy,_ His brain noted thoughtfully.

"I'm in love with another male, who used to be my enemy." Pitch shot back.

_Not this again. You know you don't think of him as an enemy anymore and he doesn't think of you as an enemy. And about being in love with another male, well, you haven't really been attracted to females since you became the nightmare king anyway._

"I haven't been attracted to _anyone_ at all since I've became the nightmare king. Until now that is..."

_So what's the problem? It's not a thousand years ago anymore, Pitch. It's the 21st century. Males can fall in love with each other now, so can females. You should know, some of the nightmares you've given to teens have been about their families and friends rejecting them because they're gay._

Pitch huffed in response to that. For a moment his brain was silent as it went deep in thought.

_Is that what you're worried about?_

"I don't have family..." Pitch said.

_You have friends though._ His brain said. _You have Jack._

Pitch fell silent again, answering his mind's question. He heard his brain sigh.

_You think Jack will reject you._

"Why wouldn't he? He only sees me as his friend!" Pitch cried, though not too loudly.

_You don't know that for sure. Not until you ask._

"No!" Pitch snapped, "I'm not asking him anything! He'll hate me. Or if he doesn't, he won't feel the same way."

Pitch crossed his arms, gripping his elbows so tightly, his non-injured arm was starting to hurt too. His brain couldn't argue with that one, he was absolutely positive Jack didn't feel the same way. Why would he? He was the boogeyman, for starters, the person who hid under children's beds giving them nightmares. Even if Jack chose to ignore that – as he had since Pitch had arrived at Santoff Clausen – Pitch was pretty sure that Jack wasn't attracted to the same gender.

_What if he was?_ _What if he did feel the same way?_

"Even if he did, which he doesn't," Pitch said, "How will the other Guardians react? I know North and Tooth have been pretty nice, and Sandy has been okay too...but Bunny hates me...and I'm pretty sure none of them would like the idea of me and Jack together as a couple. Don't say 'I don't know that for sure!"

His brain, which was going to say those words, fell silence again. Pitch looked out of the window again. Snow was starting to fall softly on the ground, the snowflakes swirling and dancing as the wind blew them about gently, before they landed on the pure white surface below. Pitch let out a sad sigh.

"I'm not saying anything to him." He told his brain. With that he turned away from the snow and wheeled back over to his bed, focusing on how he would get back on it on his own without further injuring himself...trying to ignore the sad clench his heart made when he said that.

* * *

Jack hadn't been to visited him for a while.

It had been a few weeks, a few long weeks, since Pitch had discovered he had feelings for Jack and then decided to try and squish them back down until they were almost non existent. Which when he was around the Guardians and the yetis, it wasn't so hard. But when he was around Jack he struggled. So in a way he was glad Jack hadn't been to visit him.

He knew where Jack was. Seeing as Jack just had to finish up winter in a few more countries before he would be on his break, Jack had decided to get it all done in one fell swoop so he could be done quicker.

"I'll be gone for only a few days," Jack had said, perching on Pitch's bed, "You'll be alright won't you?"

"I'll be fine. It's not like I'm trapped in bed now, although I'm getting fed up with that wheelchair."

Jack laughed and patted Pitch's shoulder. A spark went through Pitch and he did his best to hide his blush.

"North said since you're a spirit, you'll heal faster than mortals. There's just the problem of how are you going to use crutches with a broken arm."

"I suppose I'll just have to wait until my arm cast comes off then." Pitch groaned.

"Hey don't worry, North has an idea." Jack reassured him.

"Oh? And what may that be?" Pitch asked quirking an eyebrow.

Jack shrugged, "Have no clue. He won't let me see it. And Phil kicked me out his office when I tried to spy." Here the boy stuck out his bottom lip to pout; he liked spying on North when the Russian was making things.

The expression looked so cute...no Pitch, no. Pitch forced himself to look over at his wheelchair, as he took a deep breath, trying to squish down that butterfly feeling that had burst into his chest again.

"Will you at least be back at night?" The words slip out of Pitch's lips before he realised.

"Um...yeah probably. But I'm pretty sure I'll be late, so don't wait up alright?"

"Alright," Pitch replied, finally in control of himself again as he looked back over at Jack.

Jack beamed, "If you get bored just yell for North or whoever's around and they'll keep you company. Tooth will probably want to play chess again if she's not busy she enjoyed playing with you."

Pitch hardly heard the sentence. He was once again caught up in that handsome smile Jack wore.

"Um...sure..." Pitch stammered. The butterfly feeling was back, this time more prominent than ever, and his cheeks were heating up.

"I really can't control myself can I?" Pitch murmured to himself as he returned back to the present again.

He was perched by the window of the infirmary again, glazing out in the night sky. Manny shone down on him, but Pitch wasn't interested in him. The moon never really spoke to him and so Pitch had chose to ignore him back. That had been when he had been evil though. Idly, he wondered what the man in the moon made of the whole situation. Pitch didn't really know much about him that much, but he supposed the moon probably didn't mind Pitch was staying with the Guardians; otherwise wouldn't he have told them himself if it was a bad idea?

Pitch shrugged the thought off, he wasn't paying attention to the moon anyway. He still wasn't going to talk to him unless the moon talked to him first. Right now, though, Pitch was searching the skies for any signs of a certain winter spirit.

Yeah, he promised Jack he wouldn't stay up for him. But even if Pitch was doing his best to keep his feelings hidden, he still couldn't stop himself from rolling over to window to wait for Jack to return. He knew he wouldn't fall asleep anyway even if he did try to.

It was really getting late now. Gone after midnight. Pitch clenched his fists tightly, worry washing over him. Shouldn't Jack be back by now? Even if the winter spirit had just gone straight to his room to sleep, Pitch would have seen him through the window. He had done so the past few nights Jack was too late back to visit him.

Pitch was so busy concentrating looking out the window he gave a jump when he heard the door shut as someone entered. He spun around, steadying his wheelchair.

"Oh Sandy, it's just you."

Sandy stepped in, raising an eyebrow, a question mark forming above his head. He had sent out golden strands of sands to children sleeping everywhere yet he had noticed one certain grey skinned teen had not allowed the sand to send him to sleep yet. Pitch gulped nervously, he had swatted the sand away when it try to lull him to sleep, turning his head away from it so it would not get into his eyes.

"I didn't feel like sleeping." Pitch answered.

An image of a first aid plus sign, someone sleeping in a bed, a clock with its hands whirling at a fast pace and a tick popped up over Sandy's head.

"Yes, I know sleeping will make me heal faster." Pitch said. "But I'm not tired."

Sandy pointed over at the bed and crossed his arms. Pitch groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright," He cried. He wheeled over to the bed, sending the Sandman a frustrated look. Sandy just rolled his eyes at the teen and helped him under the covers.

"You've never been interested about me being asleep on time before," Pitch grumbled, though he laid his head back down on the pillows, not wanting to be glared at by the golden man.

Sandy just raised his eyebrow. He created a ribbon of glowing sand and made to head out as the sand went straight over to Pitch.

"Sandy, wait!" Pitch cried, swatting the sand away.

Sandy stopped and turned back, dismissing the golden sand away for now. He gave Pitch a quizzed look. Pitch sighed and sat up, unsure what to say. He scratched the back of his neck, in a similar fashion to what Jack would have done – _really brain?!_

"I..." Pitch coughed weakly, "I, er, I...didn't really get to apologise about that time when I shot an arrow in your back."

Pitch immediately cringe, expecting the Sandman to suddenly scowl, as he was reminded that Pitch had tried to kill him. After all Pitch would hate him to if that had happened to him. Being shot in the back and then consumed by nightmare sand...not very pleasant.

However instead Sandy smiled. He created a sand image above his head: _you're forgiven_.

"What?" Pitch was confused, "How can you just forgive me just like that? I shot you with an arrow!"

Sandy just shrugged and watched Pitch's reaction. Pitch, looking in confused, ran both his hands through his spikes. He furrowed his eyes, and then raised one eyebrow.

"Are you seriously fine with the fact that I pretty much killed you?" He asked, slowly. Because to be honest, he didn't really want to know the answer. So far Sandy, along with the other guardians (except for Bunny), had been nice to and despite the fact Pitch was starting to like the guardians, he still wondered if deep down inside they still held a slight resentment to him. Especially the Sandman.

Sandy paused, as if contemplating on what he would say. Pitch waited, nervously, half wishing he could just go back in time and instead of calling out the Sandman's name, have kept his mouth shut and let the golden man be on his way.

Then the Sandman nodded with another smile. Pitch stared at him for a few seconds.

"Why?"

Sandy created a sand figure of the grown up version of Pitch above his head. Then, with a touch of a golden sparkle effect, the Pitch figure shrunk down to a teenager size.

"Because I'm a teenager?" Pitch asked.

Sandy shook his head, sighed, and made the sand image repeat itself. He did several times before Pitch finally got it.

"Because I've...changed?" He asked, slowly, still uncertain he got that right.

Sandy beamed and gave him a thumbs up. Pitch smiled glad he got it right. Then he became confused again.

"That's the only reason?" He asked.

Sandy shrugged. The sand image of Pitch disappeared and was replaced with another figure.

"Jack?" A blush appeared on Pitch's face despite the fact he scolded himself for doing so, "Wait, is it because of the same thing as North said? About Jack caring enough to save me and you guys caring about Jack so you don't mind me being here?"

Sandy made a 'sort of' gesture with his hand. Pitch frowned.

"Then what?"

Sandy was about to create another sand image but then he froze, his eyes staring at something behind him. Pitch turned, and his breath caught in his throat.

In the doorway stood Bunny. But that's was not what make Pitch's heart stopped. It was because of the fact in his arms bunny was holding an unconscious white haired, blue hoodie, figure.

"Jack!"

* * *

_**Oh my god Jack, NO!**_

_**Hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry it's not brillant, I did keep getting stuck on what to write. Hopefully it's not too dreadful.**_

_**I was going to have a North and Jack bonding scene and a North and Pitch bonding scene but I couln't really think of what to write so I left it out for now and focused on a Sandy and Pitch bodning scene. As I said in previous chapters Sandy has come to accept Pitch but a reviewer told me it good if I showed things and I agreed, it's much more interesting to see the two bond rather than me tell you they friends now on to next thing! I still thought Pitch would be wondering why Sandy didn't resent him so I put that in too.**_

_**Anyway hopefully it won't take me so long to write the next chapter. Spoliers: Bunny and Pitch may start to get along. See you soon ^^**_


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